Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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43. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the new protocols implemented to ensure that future IT upgrades of State or public bodies will be fully thought out, have robust procurement-tender documentation, including penalty clauses for failure to deliver; have the relevant IT expertise or access to it to ensure assessment; monitoring of any such IT project till full completion of tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38421/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to inform the Deputy that the processes for government projects as set out in Circular 14/2021 from my Department, remain robust and fit for purpose.   In recently quoted examples the underlying issue was failure to execute in accordance with the circular, including use of appropriately skilled staff and internal project governance.  I have asked my officials to look at what additional measures, if any, might be taken. 

Furthermore, the Office of Government Procurement, a Division within my Department, has a suite of tender and contractual documentation, along with various guidance documents, which are available to Contracting Authorities to use. These documents fully support a robust procurement tendering process and allow for the inclusion of appropriate legal and commercial clauses and remedies. My Department is reviewing Public Service procurement in line with proposed changes at EU level, and I will make announcements on this at the appropriate time.

I would also like to remind the Deputy that my Department recently published extensive guidance on both the procurement and use of cloud computing, which includes specific contractual advice.