Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 456: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the budget available to his Department for IT expenditure in 2010 and 2011; the provisions within his Department for the purchasing of IT equipment; the efforts that are being undertaken to ensure value for money and cost reductions in this regard; if there are budgets and procedures in place for the purchasing of IT equipment for each State agency under his remit for 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23439/11]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht was established on 2 June 2011 and the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to provide meaningful comparative information for 2010 as sought by him.

The administrative budget available to my Department for postal, telecommunications, office equipment and IT services in 2011 is €2,045,000, comprising €1,641,000 for current expenditure and €404,000 for capital expenditure. The purchase of IT equipment is specifically provided for from this capital expenditure budget.

In accordance with public procurement regulations, all relevant IT procurements are subject to a tendering process, with purchases of particular IT equipment and services, such as desktop or laptop PCs, printers and mobile or fixed voice or data services, being procured under the national ICT procurement frameworks, which are under the auspices of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Furthermore, my Department has been active in establishing cross-departmental collaborations with, for example, the Departments of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and Environment, Community and Local Government on IT projects where significant cost savings can be achieved through the sharing of IT services and resources.

Whilst my Department provides funding to the agencies within its remit, the board of each agency is responsible for all operational matters relating to the agency, including IT services, and I do not have a statutory function in respect of such day-to-day operational matters.