Patrick O'Donovan
Limerick County · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I agree with the Deputy. If anyone who has experienced any difficulties and has contacted the Deputy, I encourage him to pass any specifics on to me. We want to try to make it work.”
“To go back to a previous question, Coimisiún na Meán is self-financed in terms of the regulation. Regulation costs money and that is why levies are imposed. People do not like that, and the previous Deputy said she did not like it. That is a separate issue, however.”
“Failure by a platform to comply can also lead to significant sanctions. However, the developing nature of digital services requires continuing vigilance. The protection of children and young people in the online world remains of the utmost importance to the Government.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an ábhair tábhachtaigh seo a chur os comhair na Dála ar maidin. Ireland's online safety framework includes the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022, the EU Digital Services Act and the online safety code.”
“I do not disagree with the Deputy at all. He gave a good synopsis there as to why the investment in rural broadband is so important. I do not know whether any political party bar my own at the time actually advocated for it, but it has been transformative.”
“It is expected shortly. As I said in my reply, I will bring the report to the Government and then publish it. I do not disagree with anything the Deputy has said. Restitution cannot be a one-way street. We need to see if there is anything in Irish institutions that is connected to, funded by or associated with colonial plundering.”
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“The Department has provided funding for a two-year full-time night-time economy officer in each one of these selected locations and in recent weeks, I confirmed funding for these posts until September 2026. Having established local committees in each of the locations, the advisers have been conducting local surveys to engage with the local community, gathering data to inform policy decisions, and have been consulting with their advisory committees to aid in the process of developing ideas for the night-time economy in their own locality. It is clear that the requirements vary from town to town and city to city, and following feedback from stakeholders, each adviser develops and publishes an action plan for their specific location.”
“Since becoming Minister, I have been particularly interested in the amount of work my Department has been undertaking on the night-time economy. This has primarily been focused on supporting the development of safe and vibrant nightlife across the country. In 2022, the Department invited all local authorities to put in a night-time economy pilot initiative. The aim is to stimulate night-time activity supported at local level by the appointment of a night-time economy adviser. An independent panel selected nine locations across the country to take part in the pilot, namely, Dublin city, Cork city, Limerick city, Galway city, Kilkenny, Drogheda, Sligo, Buncrana and Longford town.”
“I thank the Deputy. I know everybody is anxious to see what we will ultimately get to by way of a report and how quickly. What I do not want to do is put pressure on the group I have assigned to carry out the work for fear people will say I am in any exercising undue influence. I want a report I can stand over and present to the Oireachtas. I am sure it will be debated by committees and the people relevant to the information contained in it will come before them and will be accountable and co-operate with them in full.”
“That is why, culturally, I also have to get under the bonnet of the Arts Council because that impairment or loss of money was lurking around for a long time. The Deputy is absolutely right, and the whistle was not blown on it. Once I became aware of it, I dealt with it, and the person in this country who has the greatest level of experience in that area is heading it up for us.”
“There is one important thing to point out here, which is that the Department has no role in the sanctioning of capital expenditure within RTÉ. I know the Deputy knows that. With regard to Professor Niamh Brennan, the Deputy's assessment has been quite unfair. I know him a long time and I know he will reflect on that. The work she did on RTÉ unearthed a serious culture that had failed the organisation, the employees, the licence payers and the Oireachtas, and has ultimately resulted in a situation where we now have a body of work under way in RTÉ that will transform it into a far smaller, slimmer and more efficient organisation that is fit for purpose and in which the public has trust. The person who really drove that, by virtue of the report, was Professor Niamh Brennan.”
“Who knew what prior to that is something I want to get to the bottom of, which is why I have tasked Professor Brennan and the others on the investigative panel to do that body of work for us.”
“At the moment there are none to my knowledge. That is not to say there will not be. I did not expect there to be three in the first place, and I certainly did not expect that we would be back to RTÉ again after everything that happened, but we are. I turn to information that has been compiled and the investigative process under way. I would like to think Members support that immediately on becoming aware of this I asked Professor Niamh Brennan, one of the foremost authorities on corporate governance in Ireland, to carry out an investigation into this matter. I have given fairly wide terms of reference. There will be implications. There is no doubt about that, and I am as anxious as the Deputy to hear who said what when, and to whom. I do know it came late in the day to me, and when it did come, after my appointment, I dealt with it.”
“I am sure the Oireachtas committees on public accounts and media, now they are up and running, will probably want to examine this as well. They may well unearth something we have not, and if they do, I will welcome that as well.”
“We have beaten the Deputy to it because RTÉ has been put under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General and all State entities, including An Post and the other ones I will be taking responsibility for once there is a transfer of function order, come under the auspices of NewERA, which to all intents and purposes is a holding agency or accounting body to keep a watchful eye on the semi-State sector to make sure the public is properly represented. We are doing that. I go back to the central point. The Deputy is right that €10 million used by the Arts Council and RTÉ would make a huge difference to individual sports clubs. What I am going through at the moment is an investigative process to find out what happened and who is responsible.”
“The Deputy is right, and I appreciate that she has acknowledged that once I became Minister and realised there was a significant problem in the Arts Council and another in the National Gallery, I took it upon myself to ask if there were others. It is on that basis that I am addressing it. However, and I have addressed this issue previously, whether in the Department of Health, or with regard to expenditure in individual schools, in the Department of Education, Ministers cannot possibly be expected to know individual day-to-day expenditures. That is what Accounting Officers are for and that is why we have decision-makers in bodies. That is why I have taken it upon myself to ask those people responsible for this to come forward with explanations.”
“I do not know if there is a question there. There is certainly a big statement, and I have addressed that statement previously with regard to the OPW. The Deputy will appreciate the Accounting Officer for the OPW came before the finance committee and the public accounts committee and laid out in real terms what happened with regard to the Office of Public Works. No more than I did not know what happened in RTÉ, I had no detail with regard to the OPW. I know this predates the Deputy, but significant time was spent questioning RTÉ officials in these Houses regarding its previous financial performances, the collapse of the licence fee and their contractual obligations as a broadcaster and everything else. This was never unearthed.”
“I was concerned about this and I met with the director general on 8 April to discuss further the background to the project, the reasons for the failure to deliver and assurance that this would not happen again. I asked for written confirmation of the measures in place to protect against such a project failure in the future. The director general subsequently wrote to me last week and his response noted that an external review of this project had taken place in 2023 and the lessons from that report have been incorporated into all major capital projects. RTÉ has taken a number of steps over the past 18 months aimed at mitigating the risk of such an issue recurring. While it is disappointing this happened, it is important to note that it is in the context of a significant number of substantial projects delivered annually by the broadcaster.”
“Bodies were asked to provide budgetary information on capital projects costing more than €500,000 since 2020. In addition, bodies were asked to identify if there were other capital projects below this level that should be brought to the Department’s attention for any other reason such as where there has been significant expenditure on projects that were abandoned or have materially failed to deliver on their objective. I recently received a report from my officials in respect of this aspect. The responses received provide assurance that there are not widespread issues similar to those that arose at the Arts Council and the National Gallery. However, an issue was identified in the RTÉ response relating to expenditure on one ICT project.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 93 together. I thank the Deputy. Following my appointment as Minister, issues were brought to my attention regarding a failed ICT project in the Arts Council and an unused X-ray machine in the National Gallery. Both projects were funded directly from my Department. Given the serious nature of the issues, I wanted assurance in relation to capital expenditure in other areas under the aegis of my Department. I therefore requested the Secretary General to write to all the State bodies under our aegis in the culture, sport and media sectors seeking information with regard to expenditure on capital projects since 2020 to provide assurance to me and, more importantly, the public, regarding the management of the capital expenditure.”
“-----about the importance of Ireland having a clear position with regard to trade and our position in the world. What have the Labour Party and other parties in here done? They have withdrawn pairs. Today's vote was always inevitable-----”
“Deputy Devine will have her chance in a minute. It was not too dissimilar from what happened in this Chamber last week. All our parties are trying to encourage women into politics, but all of a sudden, the united leader of the Opposition has emerged and the Labour Party just joined in as a kind of silent little lamb. In the process of doing that-----”
“You had a good run last week. Of all parties, Labour should remember what was done to its former leader, Joan Burton, another woman who held a constitutional officer position and who herself had to confront behaviour not too dissimilar from what we saw-----”
“Of course, they never wanted her so, it is no surprise that they tabled a motion of no confidence in her. This is playing out the election right from the start. We had all of the difficulties after the election trying to form a Government. Some people wanted in, some people did not really want to be in and some people felt being in opposition was the most comfortable place they could find. Then we had the Leader of the Opposition saying that this was going to be opposition on all fronts right from the get-go. The people who most disappoint in this are the Labour Party.”
“For today's vote on the Ceann Comhairle to be warranted, one would have imagined that she would have done something wrong last week. I was sitting in this seat, close to the Ceann Comhairle - the only other person in front was the Taoiseach - so I had the benefit of hearing the Chief Whip, the Taoiseach in his efforts to try to be heard and the Ceann Comhairle throughout all of it. The only people who could not hear what the Ceann Comhairle was saying were the people who were roaring and shouting at her in a scene that resembled something in Harcourt Street at 3 o'clock or 4 o'clock in the morning. Fair play to you, lads. She was right. You were an absolute, total and utter disgrace - grown men for the most part, roaring and shouting at a constitutional officer.”
“Tuigim an ról atá agam faoi láthair mar Aire sa Rialtas, ach ag am céanna tuigfidh an Teachta go bhfuil an t-aonad Gaeltachta agus Gaelainne imithe ó mo Roinn. Níl siad ann. Tá an t-aonad ag obair leis an Aire, an Teachta Calleary. Níl aon dabht orm ach go bhfuil an tAire, an Teachta Calleary ag tnúth leis an gcéad uair ina mbeidh sé os comhair an choiste agus i dteagmháil leis na Teachtaí Ó Snodaigh agus Moynihan, leis an gCathaoirleach agus le pé Theachta eile a bhfuil suim aige nó aici i gcúrsaí Gaeltachta agus Gaelainne.”
“Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, ag obair ar an ábhar sin mar tá ceantair Gaeltachta i gContae Mhaigh Eo aige agus tuigeann sé cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an cheist seo.”
“Mar is eol don Teachta, is é an tAire tithíochta an tAire a bhfuil freagracht don pholasaí tithíochta sa Dáil seo air. Tá an rud sin soiléir. Maidir leis an rud a rinne mé, tá a fhios ag an Teachta go ndearna mé mo dhícheall an cheist sin a réiteach nuair a bhí mé i Roinn na Gaeltachta ag obair leis an Aire, an Teachta O'Brien. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, in ann teacht os comhair na Dála go luath leis an Aire, an Teachta Browne, chun an cheist sin a réiteach. Níl aon amhras orm go bhfuil sé sin an-tábhachtach agus sa fhreagra a thug mé cheana féin don Teachta McGuinness ó Phort Láirge luaigh mé cé chomh tábhachtach is atá sé.”
“Is fiú a lua freisin go bhfuil Údarás na Gaeltachta ag obair le páirtithe leasmhara chomh maith chun dul i ngleic le dúshláin éagsúla maidir le soláthar agus infhaighteacht tithíochta i gceantair Ghaeltachta.”
“Chun cur le héifeacht na reachtaíochta pleanála, cuireadh tús tamall ó shin le próiseas i dtreo treoirlínte nua a fhorbairt maidir le pleanáil sa Ghaeltacht. Tá cainteanna leanúnacha ar bun idir an Roinn agus an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta ó 2022 ina leith seo. Tionóladh an cruinniú is déanaí ar an ábhar seo inné. Ar ndóigh beidh sé seo ag teacht faoin Aire, an Teachta Calleary, mar chuid dá chúraimí nua. Bíonn teagmháil rialta idir na páirtithe leasmhara ag leibhéal sinsearach agus leanann an obair ar aghaidh chun na treoirlínte seo a thabhairt chun críche. Ach na treoirlínte a bheith aontaithe ag an ngrúpa oibre lorgófar tuairimí ón bpobal trí chomhairliúcháin phoiblí.”
“Cé go bhfuil tús feidhme fós le cur leis an Acht um Pleanáil agus Forbairt 2024,, is faoin Acht sin a thiocfaidh gnóthaí i ndáil le cúrsaí pleanála agus tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht sna blianta amach romhainn. Go príomha, is ag an Aire Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta atá an fhreagracht maidir leis an Acht nua seo, dár ndóigh. Faoi réir alt 29(1) den Acht nua, is gá go ndéanfar foráil i straitéis spáis agus eacnamaíoch réigiúnach chun oidhreacht teanga agus chultúrtha na Gaeltachta a chosaint. Faoin Acht reatha, cuireann údaráis phleanála a bhfuil Gaeltacht faoina gcúram acu iarratais phleanála chuig an Roinn - Roinn an Aire, an Teachta Calleary - i gcásanna go bhféadfaidís tionchar a imirt ar nósmhaireacht teanga na Gaeltachta dá gceadófaí iad. Déanann an Roinn aighneachtaí maidir leis na hiarratais seo de réir mar is gá.”
“The GPO is an enormous building and what is seen from the front is really only a facade. There is a massive building behind it and it has a huge potential. It is contained within the national development plan, and I would love to see it being a real driver of O'Connell Street. I stay on O'Connell Street when I stay in Dublin. It is quite sad at the moment and it needs the GPO as a lift in the middle. That will have to be planned with all parties as part of it. I hope we do not go down the road we went down previously when people were divided on other national monuments and things because the GPO is something on which we should not divide.”
“I agree with Deputy Ó Snodaigh, which will not come as a shock to him. As a good Newcastle West man, I would have to agree with him. Dereliction is an issue that the local authorities have been empowered by this House for donkey's years to deal with. It is not just a Dublin city issue; there are derelict sites all over the country. Our local authorities have ample powers and access to money that they did not have before. It begs the question why they are not doing more. I said a while ago that the Minister for Health cannot know every thermometer in every hospital in the country. Councils are elected to deal with derelict sites in the first instance. They have powers and money and they should deal with it. With regard to the GPO, I am a former Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works.”
“It also creates a question with regard to how we are using our space as property owners and whether it is being used to the most effective use possible. It should not be restricted to just the private sector, and I know the Deputy is not suggesting that either. The public sector has a big role to play in this. Certainly, as a landowner and property owner in the city, the State has a big role in it too.”
“I do not disagree at all with what the Deputy has said. There is a role for the public sector here as well. It is clear that not all of our public buildings are being maximised to the full potential that they have. Since Covid, we know that more and more people are working from home and we still have the same level of building space and one has to ask whether they are being used for their full potential. There is no doubt about it. It is not just a night-time issue. If one speaks to anybody running a coffee shop or sandwich bar in Dublin - this is not just a Dublin issue; it is an urban issue across the country - they will say that they are facing massive challenges with regard to the changed working environment and what that means for their turnover.”
“The adviser will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure that this ambition is realised and will play a key role in supporting any meanwhile-use strategy for the city. I will continue to work with Dublin City Council and all of the stakeholders to promote a more vibrant and sustainable night-time economy.”
“Feedback from a stakeholder consultation process with relevant Government and sectoral stakeholders may also feed into the development of any plans for a strategy in Dublin city. My Department also provides the funding for a full-time night-time adviser post in Dublin City Council as part of a network of nine night-time advisers across the country. The adviser has an ambitious plan, with funding provided by my Department and other stakeholders, to create a dynamic, inclusive and vibrant nightlife in Dublin city centre. Many of these priorities closely align with the priorities identified in the task force report, particularly in the areas of increased cultural activity, safety and accessibility.”
“This report is a cross-government report containing a number of actions across a broad range of issues associated with the night-time economy. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is leading an examination of the practical implications of meanwhile-use for planning and other legislative codes to enable the potential for buildings to be used for night-time cultural activities, as well as looking at alternative uses for those spaces by day. Significant progress is being made in this area and this work will feed into the review of the planning and development regulations that has commenced following the enactment of the Planning and Development Act on 17 October 2024.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Go n-éirí leis mar Theachta Dála do Bhaile Átha Cliath. I hope he has a very enjoyable time here as a Member of the Dáil. Our Department is a member of the interdepartmental group on the report of the Dublin city task force, which is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach. This group is devising a roadmap for delivery of the recommendations contained in the task force’s report. The membership of the group includes Dublin City Council, which leads in the area of meanwhile-use in Dublin city centre. My Department will continue to engage with the council and other stakeholders to ensure that all opportunities for additional creative and cultural spaces are maximised. The issue of meanwhile-use is a key action in the report of the night-time economy task force co-ordinated by the Department.”
“Tuigim an cheist. Mar a dúirt mé cheana féin, tá sé soiléir sa chlár Rialtais go mbeidh an t-ábhar sin réitithe ag an Rialtas. Ar an gcéad dul síos, is ábhar é a luíonn leis an Aire nua, an Teachta Calleary, agus é ag obair leis an Roinn caiteachais phoiblí i bpróiseas an bhuiséad. B’fhéidir go mbeidh seans aige nuair a bheidh sé ag labhairt sa Dáil agus ag freagairt ceisteanna níos mó eolais a chur os comhair na Dála mar a bhaineann leis an scéim seo.”
“Níl mé in ann an cheist sin a fhreagairt. B’fhéidir go mbeidh seans ag an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, an rud sin a réiteach nuair a bheidh sé ag freagairt na gceisteanna eile maidir leis an Roinn nua, a mbeidh freagracht na Gaeltachta faoina cúram. Tuigim, áfach, cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an cheist sin maidir leis na mbóithre sna ceantair Ghaeltachta mar chaith mé tréimhse sa Ghaeltacht nuair a bhí mé i m’Aire Stáit leis an Teachta Moynihan agus leis an iarTheachta Creed agus an pobal i gCorcaigh. Mar sin, tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an scéim. Tá sé geallta sa clár Rialtas go n-aontófar an scéim sin go luath.”
“Tuigtear dom go gcaithfidh an bóthar i gceist a bheith ag dul chuig árais chónaithe, talamh feirme nó suíomh thaitneamhacha ar nós locha, aibhneacha nó tránna. Tá breis eolas le fáil ar shuíomh na Roinne sin. Tá geallta sa chlár Rialtais nua go dtabharfar scéim na mbóithre áise ar ais. Níl aon mheicníocht chuige sin oibrithe amach go fóill, áfach. Beidh athbhunú na scéime ag brath, dár ndóigh, ar airgead a bheith curtha ar fáil chuige sin do na blianta amach romhainn trí phróiseas na Meastachán. Tuigfidh an Teachta nach bhfuil Meastachán 2026 fiú tosaithe go fóill.”
“Tá an t-ádh ar an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, mar níl aon cheist faighte agam faoi láthair trí mheán an Bhéarla. Cé go bhfuil roinnt de na ceisteanna trí mheán na Gaeilge, tá mé ag déanamh mo dhícheall na ceisteanna a phlé amach. Ar aon nós, tá scéim na mbóithre áise curtha ar fionraí le roinnt blianta anuas. Faoin scéim sin, chuirtí airgead ar fáil do na húdaráis áitiúla ar mhaithe le hobair dheisiúcháin a dhéanamh ar bhóithre cáilithe faoi leith sa Ghaeltacht. Idir an dá linn, bhí agus tá maoiniú ar fáil faoin scéim feabhsaithe áitiúil de chuid na Roinne Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail chun cabhrú le húdaráis áitiúla obair fheabhsúcháin a dhéanamh ar bhóithre neamhphoiblí agus ar bhóithre nach ndéantar cothabháil phoiblí orthu sa ghnáthbhealach.”
“Tuigim an cheist atá á cur os comhair na Dála ag an Teachta ach is ceist don Roinn tithíochta ceist na dtreoirlínte ar an gcéad dul síos. Beidh na hAirí, na Teachtaí Calleary agus Browne, ag obair go luath chun an t-ábhar sin a réiteach. Mar is eol don Teachta, agus mar a dúirt mé cheana féin, tá an t-aonad atá ag obair le cúrsaí Gaeltachta agus Gaeilge imithe ó mo Roinn. Níl amhras orm go bhfuil sé an-tábhachtach don Aire, an Teachta Calleary, an t-ábhar sin a réiteach mar tá Gaeltacht ina Dháilcheantar féin i gContae Mhaigh Eo.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Mar is eol don Chathaoirleach Gníomhach agus don Teachta Ó Snodaigh go háirithe, rinne mé a lán oibre maidir leis an gceist seo nuair a bhí mar Aire Stáit le freagracht as an nGaeltacht sa Rialtas deireanach. Tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach atá sé ach, ar an gcéad dul síos, is ceist don Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta é. Tá an-chuid oibre déanta ag Údarás na Gaeltachta agus ag an aonad i Roinn nua an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, le linn tréimhse an Rialtais dheireanaigh. Tuigim cé chomh tábhachtach atá sé. Níl aon amhras go bhfuil sé an-tábhachtach don dream óg agus do dhaoine a bhfuil suim acu a bheith ina gcónaí sna ceantair Ghaeltacht cead pleanála a fháil agus tithe a fhorbairt. Tá an Rialtas agus páirtí an Teachta féin ar an leathanach céanna ar an ábhar sin.”
“Tá an grúpa oibre seo ag cíoradh an phróisis phleanála sa Ghaeltacht chun struchtúr agus cleachtais a aontú chun an próiseas reatha a fheabhsú. Críochnóidh mé an freagra go luath.”
“Ag an am céanna, tá Údarás na Gaeltachta ag obair le páirtithe leasmhara chun dul i ngleic le dúshláin éagsúla maidir le soláthar agus cur ar fáil tithíochta i gceantair Ghaeltachta. Tuigtear dom go bhfuil cúrsaí pleanála mar mhír sheasta ar chlár oibre gach cruinniú de chuid bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta ó mhí na Nollag 2023. Ba cheart dom aird an Teachta a tharraingt ar ghealltanas sa chlár Rialtais go bhfoilseofar treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta. Tá obair shuntasach déanta cheana féin ag an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta i gcomhairle leis an Roinn chun na treoirlínte seo a fhorbairt. Tógfar ar an obair seo sna míonna amach romhainn d'fhonn na treoirlínte a fhoilsiú chomh luath agus is féidir.”
“Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Teachta as ucht a thoghcháin. Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh leis anseo sa Dáil ar son mhuintir Phort Láirge. Mar a dúirt mé ar ball, tuigfidh an Teachta go bhfuil cúrsaí Gaeltachta agus Gaelainne le haistriú chuig an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, sna seachtainí amach romhainn nuair a dhéanfar na horduithe cuí a shíneadh. Tá an Bille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú), 2024, a chríochnaigh an Dara Céim i nDáil Éireann roimh ollthoghchán na bliana seo caite, curtha ar ais le déanaí le cur san áireamh i ngnó na Dála reatha. Leanfar leis an mBille seo a chur ar aghaidh trí Thithe an Oireachtais i mbliana. Soláthraíonn an Bille an chumhacht don údarás tailte atá ina sheilbh a chur ar fáil do chomhlachtaí ceadaithe tithíochta, AHBs i mBéarla, nó d'údaráis áitiúla chun tithíocht a sholáthar sa Ghaeltacht.”
“I should not have to micromanage every agency under my remit, but if it comes to a situation where we have to restructure, reorganise and micromanage for short periods, it is something we cannot rule out.”
“I will take the final point Deputy Ó Snodaigh raised first. The existing system is working. It might not be great but it is working. It might be cumbersome and clunky but it is working. I will not be in favour of any further investment in ICT until, to put it in basic terms, I am assured those who are getting the investment know what they are doing. Of the €7 million spent on this, to be honest about it for the benefit of the House, I do not think any of it can be recovered, and I am being very honest. There are also questions for the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer with regard to how we do ICT projects and who does them. Do we do them centrally or at agency level? Agency staff are paid good salaries and are responsible to the House under legislation to make sure the money we vote from here is properly spent.”
“There is also our relationship with the Arts Council and the fitness of the Arts Council to be able to carry out major capital investment programmes of this nature. How this whole thing stands today is massively unsatisfactory. I hope the Niamh Brennan report, if I can call it this, will be finished soon and that I will be able to come before the House or the committee and lay it before it.”
“As Deputy Ó Snodaigh appreciates, I have asked Professor Niamh Brennan, John McCarthy and Margaret Cullen to ascertain once and for all what the Deputy is asking, because they are the same questions I am asking. I am not happy about this at all. I do not think anybody could possibly be happy about it. There is a big systems failure here. This is cold comfort when almost €7 million is gone, most of which cannot be retrieved. There is a big systems failure, not only in the Arts Council but also in the Department, that I have to get to the bottom of and find out how it happened, why it happened, who was responsible, when was it notified and a range of other issues I have included in the terms of reference for the investigation into governance and oversight.”
“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 the management board of the Department to relevant issues.”
“That showed that the project was tracking red and that its launch was postponed from the original April 2021 launch date to an interim launch in November 2021 and a full launch in April 2022. It also stated that project delays would impact the budget and listed key risks to the project. Accountability is fundamental to public confidence in our public services. Given the importance of the work of the Arts Council, it is critical this confidence is restored. I have recently announced an external review of the governance and organisational culture in the Arts Council. I also presented to Government the draft terms of reference for a review of my own Department’s internal governance operations, focusing on governance, risk and escalation processes.”
“It is clear from the report on the examination of the Arts Council business transformation project commissioned by my Department that while there were flows of information to the Department, no progress report issued to the then Minister or the Secretary General in respect of this project prior to the summer of 2024, either directly from the Arts Council or from within my Department. This report details the evolution of the project, the decision-making process and the flows of information between the Arts Council and the Department. For example, the report highlights that the council had sent the Department an update report for the April 2021 stakeholder board meeting.”
“The Arts Council business transformation project has cost almost €7 million and resulted in a significant loss to the Exchequer. This loss has highlighted governance issues in the Arts Council and significant lapses in oversight by the Department, which was informed from early 2021 of challenges in progressing the business transformation project and which received periodic updates at further stages of the project. I assure Deputy Ó Snodaigh and the House that I am not satisfied - quite the contrary - with the decisions of officials not to inform the then Minister or the Secretary General and am determined to ensure the issues highlighted are urgently addressed.”