Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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544. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the spend to date on the implementation on his Department’s new IT system, project Dion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39731/25]

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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604. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the spend to date on the implementation on his Department’s new IT system, project Dion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39730/25]

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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605. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the implementation timeline for his Department’s new IT system, project Dion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39732/25]

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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606. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason for such delays in respect of reported delays in his Department’s new IT system project Dion, being set up; when his Department expects the new IT system to be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39733/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 544, 604, 605 and 606 together.

Project Díon is a large scale digital transformation project being led by my Department with relevant stakeholders (including the local authorities) to introduce more streamlined, efficient and automated processes and enhanced reporting capabilities across over 30 housing programmes, which collectively channel billions of euro annually.

As of 30 June, €3.9 million (including VAT) has been spent on the project, out of the overall budget of over €10.5 million (including VAT).

Due to its size and nature, this project is subject to rigorous governance protocols including regular review by a Project Board (comprised of internal and external stakeholders) as well as an independent Peer Review group appointed in compliance with DPER Circular 14/2021 (Arrangements for Oversight of Digital and ICT-related Initiatives in the Civil and Public Service).

On the timelines, this very significant strategic digital transformation project will take years to fully implement. 

Indeed, preliminary work has been on-going on this project since 2017 with the development of the Business Case. 

This was followed by the successful completion of the procurement stage in 2023, which comprised a competitive public procurement process conducted in accordance with the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016 (Statutory Instrument 284 of 2016) and with the support of the Office of Government Procurement.

Since then, the project has been in the implementation stage, which involves the development and roll-out of the system, on a phased basis, over a number of years.

The development of the first and foundational phase of the system is at an advanced stage, and is currently proceeding through a comprehensive testing process covering technical aspects and functional aspects, with the many different business users and stakeholders. 

Once the test stage is complete, and it has been confirmed that Phase 1 of the system is ready, a final decision will then be taken by the Project Board on when to deploy the new system. 

As with everything on this project to date, this decision will follow best-practice change management for the go-live implementation of a project of this scale.  The timing will take account of the large number of stakeholders, both within the Department and also across 31 local authorities, AHBs, the Housing Agency and the LGMA, all of whom are working on mission critical social housing objectives.

My Department is working hard with the stakeholders to ensure delivery of the Díon solution as soon as possible to maximise the benefits from up-to-date technologies for all those involved in housing delivery.