Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will take the final point Deputy Ó Snodaigh raised first. The existing system is working. It might not be great but it is working. It might be cumbersome and clunky but it is working. I will not be in favour of any further investment in ICT until, to put it in basic terms, I am assured those who are getting the investment know what they are doing. Of the €7 million spent on this, to be honest about it for the benefit of the House, I do not think any of it can be recovered, and I am being very honest. There are also questions for the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer with regard to how we do ICT projects and who does them. Do we do them centrally or at agency level? Agency staff are paid good salaries and are responsible to the House under legislation to make sure the money we vote from here is properly spent. I should not have to micromanage every agency under my remit, but if it comes to a situation where we have to restructure, reorganise and micromanage for short periods, it is something we cannot rule out.

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