Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 May 2026
103. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will provide a schedule of IT projects that the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer has directed be paused, put on hold, and stood down in the past five years to date to include project name description, budget and amount expended. [37976/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department, through Circular 14/2021, has an approval role in relation to digital and ICT projects undertaken across the Public Service to ensure that proposed initiatives are appropriately aligned with all relevant government policies and the strategies that support them; and that appropriate governance arrangements are in place. However, the Circular does not lessen the accountability of organisations which continue to be directly responsible for their effective and appropriate delivery.
In the context of Circular 14/2021, for projects in excess of €2m, the Circular requires a peer review process to be put in place. The role of a Peer Review Group is to act as a critical friend to the project and provides an independent, structured review of the programme at key decision points throughout its lifecycle. Findings of the peer review are advisory and actioning any advice received is a matter for the relevant organisation. As I mentioned above, while my Department does have an initial approval role, the relevant Accounting Officer remains responsible for the successful delivery of projects undertaken by their organisation including all associated expenditure and contracts.
