Written answers
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Department of Justice, Equality and Defence
Departmental Expenditure
9:00 pm
Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 650: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the budget available to his Department for IT expenditure in 2010 and 2011; the provisions within his Department for the purchasing of IT equipment; the efforts that are being undertaken to ensure value for money and cost reductions in this regard; if there are budgets and procedures in place for the purchasing of IT equipment for each State agency under his remit for 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23449/11]
Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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IT expenditure for the Department in 2010 was €18,868,523. This figure comprises expenditure for the following areas: 1. The Department itself and the bodies/offices/agencies
on its IT Shared Service (see full list below)
2. Irish Prison Service
3. Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service
4. Financial Shared Services
5. Equality divisions & agencies, until their transfer to the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs.
The budget for 2011 is made up of expenditure to date, €9,825,546, and expenditure to year-end, projected at some €8,892,500. The figures include expenditure in relation to divisions and agencies, including the Equality divisions and agencies which transferred into the Department of Justice and Equality earlier this year.
The Department's IT Shared Service, operating since 2003, provides centralised IT services to approximately 2,000 users in the Department and 25 agencies nationally and internationally. This approach ensures that the Department achieves economies of scale for the provision of these services, whilst reducing administration costs. Contracts and expenditure are regularly reviewed, and suppliers engaged with, to ensure that products and services are delivered at the most cost-effective rates. All IT procurement, by the Department and its agencies, is undertaken in accordance with the procurement requirements imposed by legislation and Government Directives. By going regularly to the market, and by utilising the economies inherent in existing public sector contracts, the Department drives continuous increased efficiencies and cost savings in the services delivered. At present the Department has a series of wide ranging ICT procurement exercises underway and is confident that these will reduce its costs in the medium term - it is also engaged in the inter Departmental Cloud Computing group which it anticipates will produce substantial operational savings in the medium to long term.
A cross-Departmental and cross-agency ICT Governance Group, which has a remit in relation to the strategic overview and management of ICT developments, reviews all proposed IT expenditure, to ensure value for money is achieved.
Departments, Office and Agencies on IT Shared Service
Department of Justice and Equality
Anti Human Trafficking Unit
Casino Commission
Coroner's Service
COSC
Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal
Criminal Law Codification
Equality Authority
Equality Tribunal
Financial Shared Services
Garda Inspectorate
INIS
Irish Film Classification Office
Irish Youth Justice Service
National Disability Authority
National Property Services Regulatory Authority
Office for Internet Safety (OIS)
Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration
Office of the Commissioner of Charitable Donations & Bequests
Office of the Data Protection Commissioner
Office of the Inspector of Prisons
Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner
Parole Board
Private Security Authority
Reception and Integration Agency
Refugee Appeals Tribunal
State Pathology
Victims of Crime
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