Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, has had a string of bad luck with ministerial issues. It is a sort of reverse Midas touch. In his previous role, he had to deal with bike shelter and security hut overspends by the OPW. Now, weeks into his new job, we find out about this extraordinary and alarming spend of nearly €7 million on a failed IT project at the Arts Council. This enormous waste of public money raises serious questions about governance and oversight of that body. It raises serious questions about what oversight, if any, the Departments of arts and public expenditure had over such a major IT project that involved a significant spend but that resulted in nothing. It also raises questions about a cover-up by the previous Government, many of the members of which are serving in the new Cabinet.

This unfortunate debacle must not be used to undermine support for the arts or artists. Ireland's contribution to the arts is a source of immense pride. Our paintings, writings, music, film, theatre and comedy are an envy of the world and many artists are not sufficiently rewarded for their work. We in Labour have always championed the arts. President Michael D. Higgins was an inspirational Labour Minister for the arts. We are conscious that many of those who are funded by the Arts Council will be worried today that their vital supports might be undermined as a result of this controversy. The Tánaiste and the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, must reassure artists that their funding will be protected and that we will see full disclosure and accountability for this overspend.

Oireachtas committees are yet to be formed. As a result, we need to have a debate on this in the Dáil next week because it appears that the entire management of this project was shambolic. I would question many aspects of governance and management of the project at the Arts Council and in the Department too.

We all have very serious questions in respect of this issue. Here are some specific questions. First, why has the arts department been so dogged by controversies about overspends and lack of oversight over semi-State bodies? Second, why was there no relevant expertise, it appears, on the Arts Council senior management team, leading to such undue reliance on private contractors to deliver this massive and complex project? Third, were red flags raised by those with knowledge of the project and were their concerns ignored or dismissed? I understand that two reviews of this project, which raised concerns about levels of risk, took place in the summer of 2022 and at the end of 2023. Can the Tánaiste explain why, particularly at that earlier juncture in 2022, a decision was apparently made to proceed with the project notwithstanding serious concerns? Can he make a commitment that the review the Minister has ordered into the Arts Council, which we welcome, will include a root-and-branch review of governance and management systems? I reiterate my call for a Dáil debate on this massive waste, which has caused such anger among the public.

See this speech in context