Results 121-140 of 591 for speaker:Peter Cleere

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: Are those the names of the two contractors the Arts Council is pursuing legal redress from?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: For absolute transparency, will Ms Kennelly confirm for the committee whether there is any connection whatsoever between either of those contractors and the Arts Council?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: When did the process commence regarding the legal proceedings?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: I note two more contractors have been added. When were they added?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: Was it in February or March?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: Would it be fair to ask, would the Arts Council have pursued legal redress on those additional contractors if this had not become public knowledge?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: The Arts Council was able to make a decision in 2021 on the initial two contractors and court proceedings started in 2021 and then these two additional contractors were added.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: Apologies; it was 2022. These two additional ones were added in February or March of this year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: One of the two new contractors.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: How many contractors were there in total? I know Ms Kennelly said four accounted for €5 million but how many contractors were there in total?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: Okay. That is fair. There are 21 contractors. Would the Arts Council be happy with the work of all 21? Is it just the four contractors it is pursuing legal redress from?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: The point I am trying to make is whether there is anything to prevent these contractors, these cowboys, we will say, from going to look for State work again when they have completely underperformed, in that the Arts Council would not be taking a legal case against them otherwise?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: Yes, and including the four contractors.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: Yes, but is there anything to stop those from applying for other contracted jobs with different Departments or agencies?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: Speaking of the Arts Council, a 2021 workforce plan was mentioned. What was the cost of that workforce plan? I think it was approximately €40,000.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: It was approximately €40,000 and the recommendation was to double staff. Am I correct in saying that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: How many staff are in the Arts Council now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: How many staff were there before the workforce plan?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: There was a serious doubling of the Arts Council workforce.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Arts Council Grant Management IT System: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Peter Cleere: It is significant.