Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1124. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she will implement the recommended action 75 of the Ryan implementation group for a professionally managed national archive to be developed as a central repository for the records for all children in care; and her views on whether there are barriers to the implementation of this recommendation. [33971/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Child and Family Agency business plan for 2017 includes reference to proposed actions in relation to outstanding actions under the Ryan Implementation Plan, specifically Action 75 and 76 which relate to the Agency (Tusla) as follows:

- Action 75- a professionally managed national archive is to be developed as a central repository for the records for all children in care; and

- Action 76- records created in non-statutory agencies should be secured in the national archive.

The Agency’s business plan for 2017 states that Action 75 and 76 are to be addressed under the ICT Strategy for Tusla as the issue of records management spans significant areas of records beyond that of children in care and non-statutory agency records. Monitoring of Tusla's business plan takes place in the context of regular performance monitoring engagements between my Department and Tusla and I would expect any barriers to implementation to be raised in that context by Tusla.

I have asked that the Agency provide me with an update on progress in this regard and I will respond more fully to the Deputy in due course.