Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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185. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the measures his Department is taking to improve data collection, maintenance and access across the public service as part of its reform programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3461/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Public Service ICT Strategy, prepared by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer in my Department, and published in 2015, recognises data as a critical enabler, and that improved data management on a whole-of-government basis is crucial to supporting better decision making, increasing simplicity of engagement, driving efficiency and delivering a range of new digital services to citizens and businesses.  In addition, action 45 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan targets improving how data is collected, managed and shared by the Public Service.

Work is ongoing in a number of areas in line with these strategic objectives.  My officials are currently engaged with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel to progress the drafting of the Data Sharing and Governance Bill.  The purpose of this Bill is to promote and encourage data-sharing between public bodies by providing a statutory framework for data sharing for legitimate and clearly specified purposes that are compliant with Data Protection legislation; and to improve the protection of individual privacy rights by setting new governance standards for data sharing by public bodies.  Also, work is ongoing to build on and promote the use of common data models across Government, such as the Public Service Identity dataset and Eircodes, that underpin our data protection obligations, the provision of digitised and streamlined services, and the linking of data to improve decision making.

My officials are also progressing the Open Data initiative across the public sector.  The concept of Open Data is about making data held by public bodies available freely and easily accessible online for reuse and redistribution.  The initiative aims to create an environment where, by opening up Government data, new opportunities for research, innovation, transparency, engagement and greater efficiency are delivered and realised by public bodies, businesses, researchers and citizens.  Measures to achieve this include development of a centralised Open Data portal, data.gov.ie,which provides access to official data in open format, development of a Technical Framework to underpin the publication of such data in line with best practice internationally and to ensure it is interoperable, establishment of an Open Data Governance Board to lead the initiative, outreach and engagement with public bodies and other stakeholders.

Lastly, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, and I are preparing a joint memo to go to Government to seek approval for the implementation of a Public Service Records Management Plan to assist coherent and comprehensive records management within the Public Service.  This plan will support both the improved management of day to day records within Public Bodies, and also to protect and develop the processes that support the function of the National Archives in preserving state record.