Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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243. To ask the Minister for Finance 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 forthcoming Circular Economy and Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24146/22]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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In relation to my Department, I wish to advise that ICT services are provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) under the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. On behalf of my Department, the OGCIO has noted that:

The Department has a policy of utilising its computer hardware until it is at the end of its lifespan. The Department goes to the market regularly to award a device destruction contract to a recognised device destruction company with security and commitment to green re-cycling the predominant award criteria. In addition we get certification of destruction for each device which attests to the green and secure destruction of each device. Our current recycling partner is ISO 14001 certified - an international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system (EMS).

I am advised by the bodies under the aegis of my Department as follows:

The Central Bank has a circular economy with regard to computer hardware. All hardware is used until the end of its useful life and then passed onto an approved partner for reconditioning/reuse or destruction. The Bank’s current Fixed Asset Disposal Policy is in line with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, Finance Circular 02/2004, PER Circular 07/2014 and PER Circular 17/2016. A review of this policy is planned presently and the Bank will amend it if necessary in order to comply with the forthcoming Circular Economy and Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2022.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Credit Review Office (CRO) and Enterprise Ireland (EI) and their parent Departments in 2019. the CRO is co-located in EI’s offices and EI provides, and has responsibility for, all office and IT facilities for that Office.

The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) is committed to achieving compliance with the forthcoming Circular Economy and Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2022 (“the Act”).In this regard, the FSPO has an approved protocol in place for the re-use of computer hardware when it is being replaced or upgraded. Where computer hardware has reached end of life and has a nil value, these assets are disposed of through approved IT recycling companies, once all data has been securely removed from the equipment. Where assets are being disposed of but have not reached end of life, the FSPO operates a system whereby a decision can be taken to resell IT assets, in order to ensure equipment is kept in use for as long as possible, thereby reducing the consumption of raw materials and impacts harmful to the environment, in accordance with the forthcoming Act.

The Investor Compensation Company DAC utilises its computer hardware until it reaches the end of its useful life. All computer hardware that has passed the end of its useful life is transferred to an approved asset disposal partner for secure reconditioning/reuse or destruction.

The Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal’s protocol in respect of the re-use of computer hardware when it is replaced or upgraded is (i) computer hardware and other technical equipment are kept in use for as long as possible, thereby reducing the consumption of raw materials and impacts harmful to the environment, (ii) the maximum economic value is extracted from computer hardware and technical equipment, and (iii) computer hardware and technical equipment are, where possible, regenerated at the end of their useful life, subject to any steps which must be taken to ensure the deletion and protection of data on that equipment

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has a Fixed Asset Policy and Procedures in place which includes provision for the re-use of any obsolete computer hardware when it is replaced or upgraded. All policies are reviewed at least annually and any changes identified in the forthcoming Circular Economy and Waste Management (Amendment) Bill 2022, when enacted, will be considered and incorporated as appropriate.

The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) has a Purchase and Disposal of Assets Policy and Procedure in place which is in line with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. The NTMA seeks to maximise the useful lifetime of computer hardware. When upgraded or replaced, computer hardware is either disposed of in accordance with policy or recycled. All disposal of computer hardware incorporates a secure erase of any data, and where computer hardware is recycled, all such recycling is performed by an accredited service provider. The NTMA is aware of, and is currently reviewing and monitoring progression of the Circular Economy, Waste Management (Amendment) and Minerals Development (Amendment) Bill 2022. Where applicable, the NTMA will comply with same. The NTMA provides ICT infrastructure to Home Building Finance Ireland, the National Asset Management Agency and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland.

When ICT assets reach their end of life, the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s policy is that any elements that contain, or have the capacity to hold, data are removed on site for separate certified secure disposal by an appropriately qualified third party service provider. Any remaining equipment is either offered free of charge to a charitable organisation or is conveyed for recycling to a contractor on the Office of Government Procurement recycling framework.

When the Office of the Revenue Commissioners needs to dispose of retired computer hardware, it contracts for the services of a recycling company certified to ISO 14001. The contracted recycling company collects, sorts and recycles the computer equipment and delivers the recovered materials to approved and fully licensed facilities for re-integration into the supply chain. Revenue is satisfied that this is in compliancewith the Circular Economy and Waste Management (Amendment) Bill 2022, specifically the definition in Section 6(c): “the goods, products and materials concerned are recovered and regenerated at the end of their useful life”.

The Tax Appeals Commission forwards all obsolete computer hardware to the Office of Revenue Commissioners, in accordance with an agreed service level agreement, for destruction or re-use.