Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 March 2025
56. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the Arts Council enlisted the assistance of any unit, division, office or agency of Government regarding the development and procurement of the Arts Council’s IT project which cost €6.75 million without delivering a workable system. [10205/25]
View answerFollowing on from receipt of the 2023 Arts Council Annual Report, the Secretary General of the Department initiated a thorough examination into the failed ICT project last July. The Report on the Examination of the Arts Council Business Transformation Project was released last month and sets out the evolution of the project, including engagement with my Department and other agencies, as well as 36 recommendations to improve capital governance and strengthen ICT expertise. These recommendations have been accepted by the Department and the Arts Council.
In particular, chapter seven of the report is titled “Role of Department and Other Government Departments and Offices” and contains details of the engagement by the Arts Council with other State bodies in connection with the ICT project. This chapter examines the role of my Department and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) in the Business Transformation Programme and the involvement of the Office of Government Procurement in procurement matters.
