Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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1058. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of computers in her Department that still use an operating system (details supplied) in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44710/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department utilises a wide variety of computer operating systems and associated services across its extensive ICT desktop and server environments. The number of Windows 7 operating system devices across the entire network is 11,010 and consists of desktop PCs, small factor PCs used for video conferencing and laptops.

I am advised that the project to upgrade and replace the Windows 7 operating system on these devices is well underway and will complete during 2020.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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1059. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department will not be forced to pay additional premium payments to a company (details supplied) once support for an operating system expires in January 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44726/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department makes every effort to maximise the product lifetime and value it extracts from its ICT assets.A project to upgrade and replace all Windows 7 devices is underway in my Department and it will complete during 2020. The focus of this project up to this point, has been on compiling, building and extensively testing the variety of customised Windows 10 images that are required specifically for the Department’s network and wide portfolio of business systems.

A substantial range of complex business applications spanning many generations of technology and a wide portfolio of supporting devices, such as document scanners, printers, signature pads etc. are presented at and all must work at the user desktop. The planning, compilation of the future operating system images and the testing phases are crucial to the successful delivery of the project and these are now substantially completed.

I understand that a procurement phase is currently underway utilising an Office of Government Procurement (OGP) framework for the supply and upgrade of desktop devices (PC’s and laptops) for the Department and the deployment of new Windows 10 devices will commence before year end.

I am advised that my Department will have a mixed desktop estate for a period during 2020. This will include Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 devices. My Department has separately procured a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement via an Open EU tendering process and we will avail of a discounted service available through this agreement to ensure continuing support for the Windows 7 estate until fully replaced in 2020.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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1060. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to protect her Department in the event of a malware attack or security risks as a result of the failure to upgrade computers from an operating system (details supplied) in her Department and the agencies under her remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44742/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department has comprehensive cyber security arrangements and patch management protocols in place to secure all devices on the Department's ICT network irrespective of the operating system being used.

My Department has plans in place to ensure continuing support for devices running the Windows 7 operating system until all are fully retired in 2020.