Government IT overspend
Deputy Doherty criticises €40 million in IT overspending and failed projects, saying taxpayers are seeing waste while Government demands restraint. The Tánaiste defends oversight and accountability but dismisses the Deputy's selective criticism as exaggerated.
Another day, another story of shocking waste on the watch of Fine Gael and Fine Gael. A public accounts committee investigation has uncovered that the Government has overspent to the tune of €40 million on IT projects in the past two years. This is crazy stuff, again and again. A DNA information system was supposed to cost €760,000; the final cost was €2.7 million. A childcare IT project was supposed to cost €7.1 million; its final cost was over €10 million. A new Garda case management system collapsed with €500,000 already spent - money wasted, down the drain. What in God's name is happening? What is going on here? Nobody in charge, no oversight, no accountability. From bike sheds to IT projects, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are serial wasters of the public's money. It is easy come, easy go, and people have had their fill of it. What is the Tánaiste going to do to put a stop to the serial wastage we are seeing under this Government?
Comment on this
The Deputy says "no oversight, no accountability", but is that not exactly the role of the public accounts committee and is that not exactly why that information is in the public domain? It is because we have oversight.
Comment on this
To tell us it is wasted. We are trying to make sure it does not get wasted.
Comment on this
We have accountability. We have oversight as well. When the Deputy quotes selectively, it leads us to one view. When you look at the thing in the round, we see that many projects come in on time and on budget. Many come in under budget as well. We must continue to call out and highlight those areas where they do not and continue to ensure that they do better. The Deputy likes to create the view that every bit of investment in cycling or somewhere to park a bike is waste.
Comment on this
It is a little bit more complicated than that. It might not work for the old TikTok videos but it deserves a more considered response than Deputy Doherty ever gives here in this House.
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Will the Tánaiste address the issue? Will he address the fact that the Government is wasting millions of euro while asking ordinary people to tighten their belts?