Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 June 2017
38. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to introduce new legislation or regulations under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 and the National Archives Act 1986 which would require all public bodies and Departments to create and maintain official records of their meetings, activities and affairs in addition to sanctions for non-compliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26053/17]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, there are a number of general policies governing the recording of activity within public bodies. Specifically related to the creation and maintenance of official records the National Archives Act 1986 requires that the scheduled bodies listed in the Act retain and preserve records made or received, and held in the course of its business. Such records cannot be destroyed except under certain circumstances, such as on receipt of a disposal authorisation issued by the National Archives, or post return of records to the National Archives.
In 2015 the first Corporate Governance Standard for the Civil Service was published guiding Departments and Offices in the development and documenting of their governance arrangements. The standard requires Departments and Offices to:
- Document and publish their governance arrangements. This includes, inter alia, setting out the formal processes and mechanisms for documenting decisions made within the Department.
- Ensure that Management Boards and other governance structures be accurately minuted.
- Ensure that the organisation has the capacity to fulfil its mandate, including clarity on roles and responsibilities having regard to both record keeping, data management, information management, amongst others.
Furthermore, I am to bring to Cabinet shortly a joint memorandum from my Department and the Department for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht seeking approval for the implementation of a 3 year plan to assist coherent and comprehensive records management within the Public Service. The plan aims to deliver the following objectives.
Immediate
- To give direction to public bodies with regard to records management.
-To reduce spend on offsite storage for records not meriting long term preservation.
- To produce a framework by which public service bodies can implement electronic systems for the efficient and effective management of digital records.
Long-term
- To develop capacity and capability within the public service with regard to records management and increasingly electronic records management.
- To develop capability and capacity in the National Archives to accession and preservation of digital records.
Specifically in regards to records management, this plan aims to deliver a comprehensive set of Public Service records management policies and guidelines. This will also include assessing the need for issuing commensurate regulations over the course of the plan’s implementation.
