How is the October Return Made and Where and How are the Data Stored?
Post primary schools return their data electronically through the secure esinet network system. The data received by the Department from post primary schools through the October Returns is stored by the Department in its secure database, called the Post Primary Pupil Database. It is Departmental policy that only a small number of staff who have a requirement to view these personal data for work purposes can gain access to these data.

Upon receipt, the Principal Officer, Parents’ Learners’ and Database Section of Schools’ Division becomes the data controller for these data. The Department of Education and Skills is committed to

• abiding by the Data Protection Acts 1988 to 2003,
• respecting peoples’ rights to confidentiality and for privacy, and
• keeping up to date all data about recognised students stored on its database.

What personal data is collected?
A list of the specific data collected on each student and the purpose for which each item is collected is attached for your information. 

What Bodies Does the Department Share Some of the Individual Data With?
As it is necessary to return individualised data to the Department, the Department uses each student’s Personal Public Service Number as a unique identifier. As part of validating that each student returned by post primary schools is a recognised student, the Department transfers a limited amount of each individual student’s personal data to the Department of Social Protection. This includes each child’s PPS number. The legal basis for this sharing of data is set out in Social Welfare Acts.
Sharing a limited amount of the personal data with the Department of Social Protection is also important to:

• identify students that have similar details. For example, a student can only be enrolled in one school as at 30th September,
• in cases where a child’s PPSN number is not available, their individual identity can be determined from the student personal data together with her/his mother’s maiden name,
• identify the movement of students between schools over their time within the education system while allowing their course data from different schools to be accessed for recognition purposes.

Hence a student’s PPS number provided through the October Returns is to provide a unique identifier for each student and as part of validating that each student is a recognised student.
The Department does share some of the personal data with other State bodies. These are:

• data on students enrolled in exam years with the State Examinations Commission to assist its planning for state examinations,
• Central Statistics Office, under the Statistics Acts to assist with the compilation of national statistics, and
• data on 15 years old students, excluding their PPS number to the Educational Research Centre to meet its research requirements which includes some of Ireland’s international research requirements. This Centre subsequently liaises with post primary schools in respect of further data it may require on individual students to assist their research requirements.

The Department has a data user agreement with each of these bodies, which includes the purpose for which the body requires these data, its storage, security and retention. Details of existing data user agreements are available on the Department’s website at www.education.ie  (and search for October Returns).

Retention of student data
The Department retains personal data on each student up to their 25th birthday and subject to review thereafter. Since 1991, the Department has retained all individual data on students returned by post primary schools via their October Return. The purpose of this retention policy serves to trace student retention, is important for research and policy formation as well as being an important statistical indicator nationally and internationally. Again aggregate and not individual data is used for these purposes.

Individual records are also retained to meet individual requests from former students which may require it for employment or other purposes. The Post Primary Pupil Database is currently the only national archive of student enrolment at post primary schools.

The Department is continually reviewing its retention policy for student data in consultation with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and will update its retention policy from time to time. Any amendments will be available on the Department’s website, www.education.ie