Joint Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport to discuss the termination of the Arts Council Grant Management System

The meeting will take place in Committee Room 1 of Leinster House between 12:30-15:00.

The following representatives are due to appear.

Ms Maureen Kennelly, Director, Arts Council (An Chomhairle Ealaíon)

Mr. Poly Anyanwu, Business Transformation Programme Director, Arts Council (An Chomhairle Ealaíon)

Ms Maura McGrath, Chair of the Board, Arts Council (An Chomhairle Ealaíon)

Mr. Martin O'Sullivan, Deputy Director, Finance Director and Company Secretary, Arts Council (An Chomhairle Ealaíon)

Mr. Feargal Ó Coigligh, Secretary General, Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

Mr. Conor Falvey, Assistant Secretary, Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

Mr. John Kelly, Principal Officer, Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

Ms. Sinéad O’Hara, Principal Officer, Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Alan Kelly said: “We welcome the opportunity to hear from representatives from the Arts council and Department. The Arts Council Annual Report for 2023, published in February of this year, revealed that the Arts Council Business Transformation project, in respect of which expenditure of €6.675m had been incurred, had failed and that there was an estimated loss in value in respect of the project noted by the Comptroller and Auditor General amounting to some €5.3m.”

“Governance, oversight, resourcing, management of grants, policy making and legislation for arts and culture are core responsibilities for the Department.”

“Last July, an examination of the Business Transformation Project was initiated in the Department to establish the full facts around this failure.”

“The report which was published in February of this year points to a range of failures of governance by the Arts Council, but also critically, to failings by the Department in its oversight role in respect of the project. Further reviews are now being undertaken to ensure that there is confidence in relation to the governance of the Arts Council and in relation to the Department’s own oversight and governance arrangement.”

“We look forward to discussing these and other related matters with representatives.”

Watch the meeting live here or on the Oireachtas app for Apple and Android.