Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The new system for management control of information and communications technology, ICT, projects in Departments was announced by the Government in October to ensure such projects are managed to best practice standards. As part of that process, the Department of Finance has just introduced a peer review for these projects. Three such projects have been selected to commence immediately on that basis. The peer review process will comprise senior personnel from within and outside the public service with a record of successful management in ICT projects. The peer review team should help to reduce the risk of sub-optimal outcomes, such as cost and time overruns and unexpected long-term maintenance and support costs. The team can suggest that the scope of the project should be modified or that it should be rephased into multiple releases or terminated. A potential list of reviewers has been drawn up by the Department.

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