Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

260. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will offer his full support to the Arts Council’s efforts to recoup costs incurred by the IT project through legal redress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8695/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I note from the report my Department carried out on the Examination of The Arts Council Business Transformation Programme that "following the cancellation of the June 2022 scheduled launch of the system due to the level of defects identified in testing, the Arts Council withheld payments totalling €200k from two external suppliers, and has since sought to engage in a redress process with the suppliers concerned."

As this is an ongoing legal matter I cannot comment at this time. However, I await any updates the Arts Council may provide on this matter.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

261. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will identify any positions relating to IT which the Arts Council sought to establish or fill since 2018 and required clearance for from a Government Department, as well as the length of time it took for such a request from the Arts Council to be granted clearance to do so by the relevant Department and the reason for that length of time; what the role was of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8696/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The overall approved staffing level for the Arts Council increased from 47 in 2018 to 146 in 2024. In the same period, in line with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, the Department sanctioned a number of IT-related positions, including Head of ICT, Technical Launch Manager and Director of Information Technology.

The main IT appointments sanctioned are set out below:

• May 2020 Head of ICT at HEO Level.
• May 2022 Technical Launch Manager – 6 month temporary contract at 0.5 FTE.
• November 2022 ICT Service Delivery Manager.
• February 2024 Director Business Transformation Programme.
• March 2024 ICT Director.
• June 2024 IT Manager.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

262. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will clarify the meaning of the ‘lessons learnt programme’ conducted in the Arts Council following the incorrect correspondence promising Next Generation Awards funding which had to be rescinded, as outlined in the 2023 Annual Report he recently signed off for publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8742/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Arts Act 2003, the allocation of grant funding is an operational matter for the Arts Council. However, I am informed by the Arts Council that the section of the annual report referred to is in relation to a human error made in the issuing of grant allocation letters which was quickly rectified. The lessons learned referred to mitigation taken by the Arts Council to ensure it does not happen again.

The Arts Council have informed me that they are happy to provide the Deputy with any further information he requires and they can be contacted at .

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

263. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the composition of the project steering group overseeing the Arts Council’s IT project throughout its existence; and the representation his Department had on the group. [8743/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Chapter 5 of the Report on the Examination of the Arts Council Business Transformation Project outlines the role and broad make-up of the Stakeholder Board (July 2019 – June 2022) and the Steering Committee (February 2023 to August 2024).

As set out in the report, a condition of the sanction granted by the Digital Government Oversight Unit of the then Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the project to proceed was that appropriate governance structures were established and maintained throughout the life of the project. This included the condition that the then Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht should have appropriate representation on project governance structures. As set out in Section 5.2.3 of the report, neither the Arts Council nor the Department followed up to ensure compliance with this condition and the Department was not represented on these structures.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

264. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will identify the most senior official in his Department who was aware of the Arts Council IT project problems prior to receipt of the 2023 Annual Report in summer 2024; how early they knew about the problems; and the reasons they decided not to inform the then Minister or Secretary General of the waste of almost €7 million. [8745/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The estimated overall loss in value of €5.3m in respect of the Arts Council Business Transformation Programme was first notified to my Department at the end of June 2024 and this was then brought to the attention of the Secretary General and the then Minister.

More generally, Chapter 7 of the Report on the Examination of The Arts Council Business Transformation Programme looks at the role of the Department and details the interaction between Arts Council to the Department in regard to the project. The examination found that there was no formal process in place to ensure reporting to the Department’s Management Board or to escalate warnings to senior management or the Minister in respect of IT projects in bodies under the remit of the Department. While there were flows of information to the Department, no progress report issued to the then Minister or Secretary General in respect of this project prior to the Summer of 2024, either directly from the Arts Council or from within the Department.

Arising from the Department’s examination, I have now ordered a review of governance and organisational culture at the Arts Council. On Tuesday 25 February I presented the terms of reference for this external review of governance and organisational culture to the Government. I am appointing three governance experts to the Expert Advisory Committee: Professor Niamh Brennan as Chair, Margaret Cullen and John McCarthy. The committee will ensure that the review process is robust, fair and transparent. This will lead to practical, actionable recommendations to improve the Arts Council’s governance arrangements. I will keep Government informed of the review’s findings.

I have also instructed that a broader review of governance within my Department be undertaken. This review will assess the learnings for the Department from the Arts Council project, the adequacy of its risk management procedures and the escalation measures to alert its Management Board of the Department to relevant issues. The review will ensure that the Department has a comprehensive and effective oversight and governance framework for all bodies under its aegis to ensure full compliance with all public policy directives. The Department is in process of putting this review in place and has preliminary discussion with the Institute of Public Administration in this regard.