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Information and Communications Technology

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 March 2021

Thursday, 4 March 2021

Questions (51)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

51. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if State bodies can now make greater use of commercial cloud computing in delivering public services including in cases involving the processing, hosting or storing of personal information in view of his comments welcoming the publication of the Office of Government Procurement guidance note on cloud services and in order to support the public sector being at the forefront of digital transformation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12339/21]

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Written answers

As the deputy is probably aware, in October 2019 the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issued a Cloud Computing advice note. The aim of this note is to provide high-level guidance to assist organisations in making decisions in relation to the adoption of cloud services. Organisations should no longer decide whether to move to cloud for new or existing systems. The decision to be made now is what, how and when to move to cloud, which can offer a step change in carbon efficiency, security and value for money.

The document does not go into the technical and functional features of the infrastructure to supply a cloud computing environment and it does not recommend particular providers, products or solutions, either public or private. The advice is clear that while organisations may outsource their responsibility for the delivery of a service to a cloud service provider, they cannot outsource their accountability for that service.

It is the Government's belief that that now is an opportune time for a more proactive and progressive approach to embracing cloud computing and that all new government systems should be developed to exploit the opportunities presented by cloud deployment, where possible, and all existing systems will be reviewed for cloud capability for any category of public service information or system, except where such data would be classified as ‘top secret’ as per Circular 39/07.

The Office of Government Procurement guidance note on cloud services provides complementary help in the form of guidance on the mechanisms for procuring cloud solutions.

More information on the Departments Cloud Computing Advice Note can be found on www.gov.ie.

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