Members of the Arts Council and the Department of Culture are appearing in front of the Oireachtas Media Committe to address further questions in relation to the loss of €6.7 million on a failed IT system.
The Arts Council already appeared in front of the Public Accounts Committee two weeks ago to address the issues surrounding the IT project.
Director of the Arts Council Maureen Kennelly said in her opening statement today that: "I have taken action to make sure that this doesn't happen again - we now have senior IT staff in the council now."
Ms Kennelly added that "this matter was never hidden from the Department and we are working to restore trust and competency".
"This one project did fail but I have faith in the organisation and in my colleagues to continue to support the development of the arts in Ireland for years to come," Ms Kennelly said.
Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne said the documents submitted in the timelines by the Arts Council detail the IT write-off, saying that "it's clear that you did engage with the department and other state agencies right back to 2021 and multiple occasions and its just in 2025 that the minister decides to move on it".
Deputy Byrne said: "The Arts Council was pretty transparent, so who in the department is held accountable for this?"
Fergal O'Coigligh, Secretary General of the newly named Department of Culture, Communications and Sport said: "I am legally accountable for the actions and I speak for the department and in light of these failings we are taking measures to make sure that it doesn't happen again."
"The department has failed and I think it would be wrong to point at one single person," he added.
Deputy Byrne said that while it was a Department failure "it seems that he Arts Council is being made a scapegoat here and that the director, Ms Kennelly has been thrown under the bus by the minister by not getting her contract renewed".
"We are under going our own major transformation," Mr O'Coigligh told the committee as "we have lost our tourism and Gaeltacht functions, so over 100 staff are moving from the department".
He said that they have implemented changes such as more oversight on major IT projects.
'Passing the buck'
There were more questions on the processes that led to the failure of this project and the Arts Council's plans to pursue claims against the IT contractors.
Ms Kennelly told the committee that "our legal advisor says we have a good claim".
Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked about the contexts of the failed IT system project, saying "everyone is passing the buck and no one is taking responsibility".
The Arts Council gave details of the IT companies involved and Ms Kennelly confirmed that the seeking of legal redress commenced earlier this year.
She said 21 contractors were involved overall, but there were four major companies at the core of the work.
Ms Kennelly stated that there are currently 122 staff at the Arts Council and it had undergone expansion since a head count of 58 in late 2019 before there was a major workforce plan which cost in the region of €40,000.
When asked if they did not consider getting a senior ICT staff member during this time, Ms Kennelly said they had asked the department and that did not happen until recently.
The Arts Council has two senior ICT staff now at assistant principal level at a rate of around €95,000 each, she said.
Legal cases against the IT firms
Fergal O'Coigligh, Secretary General of the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport was asked if the department was supportive of the legal cases which have cost €60,000 so far this year.
"We need to review the case because we haven't been party to the legal documents," he replied, adding that "we would be supportive of a response where there is likely to be a good outcome for the taxpayer, but we need to review the details".
Deputy Alan Kelly chair of the committee asked Mr O'Coigligh if he was "supportive" of the legal cases.
"At this point we don't want the Arts Council spending any more money on this at this stage, so we need to review," Mr O'Coigligh replied.
"We don't seem to have got to the bottom of that," Deputy Kelly responded.
'Sacrificial lamb'
Deputy Malcolm Byrne raised the issue of the Minister's decision not to renew Ms Kennelly's five-year contract.
"I think you did provide good leadership," Deputy Byrne said, adding, "that is not to say that that there aren't criticisms".
Deputy Alan Kelly said: "I have to say, that Ms Kennelly I do feel that in many ways, obviously this is a big issue, but in many ways you are a sacrificial lamb here, and I feel concern here."
Deputy Kelly said that the Minister is due to appear at the committee on 2 July and governance should possibly be added onto the list there.
The Chair of the Arts Council Maura Mc Grath confirmed that Ms Kennelly had the support of the board for a contract renewal, and it had requested the Minister to defer Ms Kennelly's contract which had been subsequently denied by the minister.
When asked if she felt that the public and political reaction to the IT system failures impacted Ms Kennelly's contract situation, she said: "I think it had an influence."
'Over supportive'
Chair of the Media Committee, Deputy Alan Kelly said that he was a former IT project manager, and the commitee is aware of issues with National Gallery, RTÉ, and another group called CMS, with IT projects and that there seems "to be an issue across semi-states in relation to these IT projects".
Deputy Kelly asked Ms Kennelly about her communication with the department in relation to the IT project problems.
"We have had just short of 60 pieces of corresondence in relation on the IT project with the department on this," Ms Kennelly said.
She agreed that she was disappointed by the lack of support from the department.
She said that she mainly dealt withe the principal officer at the department and that they were "trying to be supportive", Ms Kennelly said, adding that: "I had no idea that it wasn't been escalated, that came as surprise to me."
Fergal O'Coigligh responded, saying: "We were probably being over supportive rather than challenging, and we should have said stop much earlier."
The appearance at the Media committee by the Arts Council and the Department concluded with Deputy Kelly saying that he thought it was "an extraordinary meeting" as the "contradictions" in the evidence offered were "alarming".
"I find concerning the ethos in relation to how the department has dealt with this issue," he said.
He addressed Ms Kennelly whose term at the Arts Council ends this month after a five year tenure saying: "I want to thank you for your service over the last number of years, and I wish you all the best for the future."
The Media Committee hearing concluded with Deputy Alan Kelly saying that he thought it was "an extra ordinary meeting" as the "contradictions" in the evidence offered were "alarming".
"I find concerning the ethos in relation to how the department has dealt with this issue," he said.
Addressing Ms Kennelly, whose term at the Arts Council ends this month after a five-year tenure, Deputy Kelly said: "I want to thank you for your service over the last number of years, and I wish you all the best for the future."
