Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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83. To ask the Minister for Finance if he or other Ministers, ministerial advisers or officials in his Department have ever used private email to communicate on departmental issues between one another or with other persons or organisations; if so, the reason therefor; if these emails will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40519/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise Deputy Kelly that I do not use private email to communicate on Departmental issues. Minister of State D'Arcy and all special advisers in my Department also do not use private email for such communication.

All staff in the Department are informed of the Records Management Guidelines (September 2017) in place and are obliged to carry out official activities according to the policy guidelines. The Records Management Guidelines inform staff on best practice for the creation and management/processing of official records and files, in order to safeguard official information and to ensure reliable evidence of actions, functions and decision making is kept and remains available for reference and use when needed. Records created or processed by Department officials in the course of their duties, on behalf of the Department, are covered by the Record Management Guidelines. Official records can be in many varied forms and formats, including paper documents, electronic records, books, photographs or any medium on which information is recorded or stored by graphic, electronic or mechanical means. All staff of the Department are obliged to abide by these guidelines and all records received in the course of Department business fall under the scope of the Guidelines.