Written answers

Tuesday, 17 May 2022

Department of Education and Skills

Information and Communications Technology

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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561. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the protocol that is in place for the re-use of computer hardware when it is replaced or upgraded within his Department and the bodies under the aegis of his Department; his plans to ensure that this complies with the soon to be enacted Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24146/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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IT hardware (Servers, Storage, PCs, Laptops etc.) purchased by my Department has a lifecycle of 5 years at which point it is usually replaced. The annual appropriation account circular, which is issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), sets out the depreciation policy to be used by Government Departments in their annual appropriation accounts. The current depreciation policy is set out in Circular 01/2022 and states that IT equipment, hardware and software are depreciated on a straight-line basis to a nil value over 5 years.

After reaching 5 years of age, redundant information technology equipment is disposed of in accordance with DPER circular 30/03 "Depreciation and Disposal of PCs and other computer hardware". The disposal is conducted by certified recycling companies selected from an Office of Government Procurement waste framework. Where viable these firms remove the hard disks containing data and refurbish the equipment. The equipment and/or its constituent components can then be reused.

The hard disks containing data are erased in compliance with industry standards to ensure that all information is removed. This is carried out in all cases regardless of whether the equipment is being reused or recycled. The waste disposal companies are requested to provide my Department with suitable certification indicating that all items are disposed of in accordance with the current legislation. My Department will fully comply with the Circular Economy and Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2022.

The information in respect of state bodies is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query.

Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Name of Body Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireacthas Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members
Higher Education Authority Oireachtas@hea.ie Padraic Mellett*
Irish Research Council( Note 1) Oireachtas@research.ie Padraic Mellett*
Grangegorman Development Agency Communications@ggda.ie nora.rahill@ggda.ie
SOLAS oireachtasinfo@solas.ie Maria Walsh maria.walshe@solas.ie
Skillnets Ltd oireachtas@skillnets.com t.donnery@skillnets.com
Quality and Qualifications Ireland ceo@qqi.ie ceo@qqi.ie
Léargas – The Exchange Bureau oireachtas@leargas.ie fbroughan@leargas.ie
Science Foundation Ireland ciara.cotter@sfi.ie Ciara Cotter

Note 1 – In regard to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Irish Research Council (IRC) as the IRC operates under the auspices of the HEA. Mr Mellett will address Oireachtas queries for both the HEA and IRC. Please use Oireachtas@hea.ieand Oireachtas@research.ierespectively to contact Mr Mellett.

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