My Department is in ongoing contact with the Data Protection Commissioners Office in relation to the retention period for POD data. The Department has previously received advice from the Data Protection Commissioners Office in this regard and will continue to closely consult with and seek the advice of the Commissioners office while reviewing the retention policy for POD data.
I understand that there are concerns from a data protection and privacy point of view around the retention period for the data. The Department is considering these concerns, and also needs to consider the fact that in the future POD will serve as the official record of primary school enrolment for everybody, and as such it forms part of an individual's personal history. While some people might prefer their record to be deleted as soon as possible, others may prefer to have their record accessible should they want or need to get it in the future. The Department will review its retention policy bearing in mind these issues, as well as all the legal obligations on us in the areas of data protection and records management. Individuals also have the right under data protection legislation to request in writing to any public body that their records held by that body be removed or amended and their reasons for the request, and the public body must consider and respond to such requests within 40 days.
