Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
196. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to discuss the recommendations of the Brennan report on the Arts Council; the next course of action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4114/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn taking office last year, it was brought to my attention that the Arts Council’s 2023 Annual Report included a report by the C&AG of a failed €6.675 million IT project in that organisation.
I brought this matter to Government at the earliest opportunity and, with the agreement of my Government colleagues, I established an Expert Advisory Committee chaired by Professor Niamh Brennan to conduct an Independent Review of the Governance and Organisational Culture of the Arts Council of Ireland.
The Committee has concluded its work and today I brought their Review to Government, who approved its publication.
The Review is substantive and contains 149 recommendations. Of these, 3 are for all Government Departments regarding decision making and communication protocols. 17 are addressed to the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform concerning the regulatory framework governing State Bodies, risk management and the role of the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer.
31 relate to my Department and cover a number of issues including oversight of State Bodies, appointments to these bodies and, critically, changes to the Arts Act 2003.
The remaining 100 recommendations apply specifically to the Arts Council and relate to a wide range of issues including the operation of the Board and its subcommittees, the role of the Director and the Senior Management Team, internal audit, compliance with public policy directives and communication with this Department.
It is critical that steps are taken to prevent the recurrence of these failings and I intend to implement in full the recommendations which are addressed to my Department and the Arts Council.
The Department will now engage directly with the Interim Director and the Chair of the Arts Council to ensure that the organisation is supported during this interim period, ahead of what will be a period of significant change. This will be important for the wider arts sector.
The Arts Council will have six weeks from today to submit a plan to the Department that sets out the actions they will take to implement the recommendations in the Review, along with timelines for delivery. The Department will establish a monitoring group to ensure that the Council delivers on its plan.
The recommendations in the EAC report that are addressed to the Department have been accepted and will be implemented in full, with oversight by the Management Board.
