Vol. 561 No. 4
437 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the cost of a report commissioned by Dúchas and submitted to his Department in 1998 by a company (details supplied); the action taken by his Department based on the recommendations in the report; the ongoing action being taken arising from the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4343/03]
The PwC report on the review of heritage functions was commissioned by the former Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands and completed at a cost of €149,131 in October 1998. The former Department set up a working group to examine the report's recommendations and to implement aspects of the report which were considered appropriate. The group proposed a major reorganisation and restructuring of Dúchas and discussions on the proposals were held with the trade unions. However, agreement had not been reached prior to the transfer of heritage functions to my Department last July.
Initiatives, such as the SMI process, have also been drivers for organisational developments that have taken place since 1998. Substantial progress had been made on the design of a costing and financial management systems in accordance with PwC's recommendation prior to the transfer of functions to my Department. These systems are now being encompassed in the new management information framework being implemented in my Department. New project management processes have been introduced in the built heritage area.
