Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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216. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which county childcare committees can access childcare information (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to this issue; if so, his plans to address same; the reason Pobal is now the guardian of this dataset; and the process that was initiated to implement this. [29278/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The new Early Years platform is designed to support multi-layered rights of access and security to information submitted by parents and providers. This includes sensitive and personal information.

Access to the system is based on specified business need and functional requirement; and must align with sound data protection principles. Access to sensitive and personal data is restricted to the Scheme Administrator (i.e Pobal) appointed under Section 3 of the Childcare Support Act and for the purposes specified under that Act.

My Department is currently scoping the requirements for a City/County Childcare Committee (CCC) “portal” which will give secure access to such information as may be required to fulfil functions assigned by the Department.

My Department has sought and received a submission from the CCC's regarding their access requirements and this is being considered by DCYA prior to development of the portal.

Recognising the key role the CCC's play in supporting providers, the CCCs have been given access to the platform training environment which enables them support ELC/SAC service providers with use of the new system.