Mr. Feargal Ó Coigligh:

There was a certain uniqueness to this project. My response relates to the failure on our part. In 2018 to 2019, when the project was being assessed by our Department and we were coming out of the recession, we, too, were under-resourced in terms of expertise. It was unusual in that there was a specific sanction. Bodies carry out ICT projects on a regular basis within their own capital budgets and follow the guidelines without it being necessary to come to the Department. The ICT project under discussion did need to come to the Department. I am not sure that there are too many of a similar ilk, and I do not think the Department was set up to properly assess and oversee it in carrying out its functions. That was a problem. We have since resourced ourselves in terms of ICT. Circulars have changed. For example, there will be a requirement for a peer review process on a project of the scale in question.

Completely outside the process, one of the things that happened here was capture. I am referring to the whole narrative of one more push, we will get it across the line, do not stop it now or we will lose €2 million, €3 million or €4 million, until it becomes too late. That is part of the narrative.