The Primary Online Database, an electronic individualised database of primary school pupils set up by the Department of Education, will collect individual information on each pupil, including their PPSN, and retain the information until the pupils reach age 30.

According to the Department's website, the database has been set up in order to reduce the need for requesting data from individual schools.

The records will be "maintained until the pupil reaches the age of 30."  This is to allow "analysis in line with the national and international priorities for lifelong learning, and to allow for pupils to obtain their record from the Department in the future.”

Today, Jan O'Sullivan spoke to Jonathan Healy on Lunchtime and stated that she is going to review the matter as it is a cause for concern.

"We consulted with the partners and it is supported by parents groups and school management and we already do it at second level and third level. 

"The purpose of this is to ensure that children don't drop out after primary school and maybe never progress to post-primary but we need to ensure that we know."

"On the issue of the 30 years, that it is something that I am willing to look at because I know it was raised on your programme and there was concern about it."

"I'm satisfied that it is a positive."

Here is her interview in full where she also spoke about the new facilities in schools:

Earlier, the Minister and Brendan Howlin, TD announced the construction of four new schools through a Public Private Partnership.

The four schools are located in Louth, Clare, Tipperary and Cork.