Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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82. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the roll-out of the primary online database; if he will provide latest statistics on usage by schools; if the Data Protection Commissioner has any outstanding concerns regarding the retention of student records under the new scheme, with the use of students' PPSN or with data-sharing provisions. [32443/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Primary Online Database (POD) has been rolled out to all primary schools in the country, and all schools have now entered their pupils onto the system. Schools are currently in the process of submitting the 2016/2017 National School Annual Census through POD.

The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner has not expressed any concerns about the current retention period for POD data, or about the Department of Education and Skills' proposed sharing of appropriate data with other State bodies. They are satisfied that a legislative basis exists for the use of the student's PPSN on POD.

Further information on the retention period, data-sharing provisions, and the legislative basis for the collection of all POD data can be found in the POD fair processing notice, which is available on the Department's website: .