Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 February 2025
172. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason the 2023 annual report for the Arts Council has not been published or laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will do so without delay. [5202/25]
View answer173. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when his Department was first made aware of the overspend by the Arts Council on a digital transformation programme; to confirm that this overspend amounts to €7 million; the original estimated cost was for this digital transformation programme; if he is aware of the reasons for the overspend; if a new IT system will result from this spending, if so, when; if not, whether his Department engaging with the Arts Council to ensure any spending on faulty IT systems will be recovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5203/25]
View answerThe Arts Council’s 2023 Annual Report and Financial Statements were submitted to my Department last summer and brought to my attention on taking office.
Within the annual report are details of an unsuccessful IT system development project at the Arts Council. The accounts include the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report, which notes an overall loss of value in respect of that project estimated at €5.3 million, up to June 2024. The total cost of the project to date is €6.675m. In light of this, the Secretary General of my Department initiated an examination of the Arts Council project that was finalised on 6 February. The detailed examination of the project from its inception, includes a number of key findings and 36 recommendations. The examination found that the Arts Council was not prepared for the scale of the project and did not put in place adequate resources to deliver it. The examination also found that the oversight, monitoring and reporting arrangements by the Department over the lifespan of the project were inadequate. The report of the examination is published on my Department's website.
The Annual Report and Accounts of the Arts Council were considered by the Government and they have now been laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.
Last week, I met with the Chairperson and the Director of the Arts Council and conveyed my deep concern regarding all aspects of the project. The Arts Council has committed to implementing the recommendations contained in the examination. It has also stated that it was engaging with contractors with a view to seeking legal redress. My Department has put in place a range of actions to address the shortcomings in oversight which were highlighted in the examination. I have also instructed my Department to commence an external review of governance and culture at the Arts Council.
