The costs incurred for legal redress by The Arts Council in relation to its failed IT system are almost double what was previously stated, the Oireachtas Committee on Media has been told.
The figure stands at €119,000 rather than the previously stated €60,000.
Representatives of the Department of Culture appeared before the committee after the Comptroller and Auditor General found earlier this year that the council spent €7 million on an unsuccessful IT system.
Secretary General Fergal Ó'Coigligh said the department had provided members with documentation, including a report on the project completed in February.
He said that he wished to "correct the record" in relation to the costs of pursuing legal redress by the body against IT contractors, who had been involved in the system.
At an earlier hearing, The Arts Council stated the legal bill stood at €60,000, but Mr Ó'Coigligh confirmed the figure is now approximately €119,000.
When questioned by committee members about this, he said the department had only become aware of the amended figure "from a phone call last Thursday from The Arts Council".
He said that no further money has been spent on the cases since the department advised the council to pause all activity on redress options, pending further consultation with the Office of the Attorney General.
Mr Ó'Coigligh told the committee that he was not "satisfied" by what happened, adding: "I was shocked at the loss but I also know there was no malintent".
He said that mistakes were made and "everybody regrets those mistakes", but added there is a need to make sure they do not happen again.
"Maybe it's not the answer you want but it is a profound regret that this happened," Mr Ó'Coigligh added.
He said systems are now in place to ensure that any contract above €25,000 must go to management.
IT project costs handled by council
Regarding the IT system, Mr Ó'Coigligh said the council had reassured the department "that the project was within budget" as late as September 2023.
The Art Council's former director Maureen Kennelly previously told the committee that there were up to 60 pieces of correspondence between the council and Department of Culture on the project.
Mr Ó'Coigligh said that 19 of them were dated after January 2024, when a decision was made by the council to "review the project and most of the €6.675 million had been expended".
He said that "all decisions, including the increases in the budget, beyond the approved level" were taken by the council after the initial grant was sanctioned.
Minister for Culture Patrick O'Donovan outlined to the committee why a decision was taken not to reappoint Ms Kennelly as director on a long-term basis.
Mr O'Donovan said that her term had run out in May and, as The Arts Council's operations are being examined by an expert group, he granted an extension to the end of the year, pending the outcome of the review, but not a full reappointment.
He said he thought it was "appropriate and proportionate" to offer the extension and when a position might become available, after the review is completed, it would be an opportunity for any interested individual to apply.
"I was faced with someone who was out of contract and you can't have a CEO of a State agency in that position," the minister said.
Ms Kennelly had previously told the committee that she had refused the contract extention offer.
She stepped down from the role on 13 June.
Mr O'Donovan said the council "will need a temporary acting CEO" and a process is under way to identify a candidate.
The expert group's review should be concluded "around the back end of the year" and the findings will inform decisions in relation to council, he added.
The minister also told committee members that he is "not going after monies from The Arts Council" and the artistic community need not be concerned that the issues will impact on its members.
Data breach concerns raised
Fine Gael Senator Garrett Ahern asked Mr Ó'Coigligh if he could "confirm if the department has written to the Data Protection Commissioner about an alleged significant data breach?"
The secretary general
responded that the department had been in contact with the commissioner in relation to an alleged breach of data by a former employee on 19 June.
He added that he has asked The Arts Council to "establish the facts" surrounding the alleged breach and report back to him.
