Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 179: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of full-time specialists who have been procured through open recruitment in the area of information technology procurement and capital project evaluation and management; and the number of IT procurement specialists who have been seconded between the public and private sectors, as proposed by him as part of the improved value from capital projects. [5312/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Sustaining Progress allowed for the procurement of scarce ICT skills by way of open recruitment. The Department of Finance availed of those provisions to recruit 4 such people on a full-time basis. Also on a number of occasions, some key individuals with specialist ICT and procurement skills and knowledge have been seconded to my Department from other parts of the public service to work on major public service-wide ICT projects. My Department has also established, following value for money proposals put forward by me in October 2005, a peer review system for all major or complex ICT projects in the Civil Service.

These reviews cover all parts of a project lifecycle from the development of the business case, through analysis, design, procurement, development and implementation. A panel of peer reviewers is in place that includes individuals with relevant experience and knowledge from the civil and public service, both serving and retired, the third-level education sector and the ICT industry. In addition to the above, 2 posts of Expenditure Evaluator in my Department have been filled through open recruitment.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 180: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he has received confirmation from all Government Departments that an identifiable project manager with single individual responsibility for each major information technology and capital project has been put in place; if he requires notice of substantial deviation from the project schedule; and the notifications which he has received from Departments and the projects involved. [5313/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Responsibility for appointing project managers is a matter for the sponsoring Department. Confirmation that they comply with this and other aspects of the Capital Appraisal Guidelines is included in their Annual Capital Report which is submitted to my Department. All of these reports are expected to be submitted to my Department over the next few weeks.