Sir, – Regarding the article “‘A massive waste of money’: Arts Council’s scrapped €6 million IT system sparks fury in Cabinet” (February 13th), it is essential to mention that those who will feel the most severe impact of this failure are the artists across Ireland.
A huge part of an artist’s practice is to write Arts Council applications. We invest endless unpaid hours in complex and lengthy proposals in the hope of success. It is more competitive than ever, and many, including myself, feel that positive outcomes are near impossible. The most recent round of Theatre Project Awards, for example, saw a demand of €2,101,613 from 83 shortlisted artists. Only 32 artists were funded from a pot of €613,852. The gap between demand and what is awarded is stark. This is just one discipline, in one award round, in late 2024.
Some of my own well-established peers struggle to put bread on the table, pay for housing, and have to leave the sector, or are emigrating. Imagine how many artists we are failing?
The Arts Council in its statement said that capital funding was sought for this IT overhaul, so we can hope that none of the €6.675m was allocated from artists’ funds. However, at a time when lobbying for more Government funding is crucial if we want to hold on to and support our artists, this mismanagement has evaporated any goodwill they may have had, and leaves artists demoralised. – Yours, etc,
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LOUISE WHITE,
Theatre Director,
Dublin 12.
Sir, – After paying contractors and consultants €6.7 million for the now abandoned IT system for the Arts Council, what will follow next is predictable. The State will pay external consultants hundreds of thousands of euro to investigate this mess. Good money after bad. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN CULLEN,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Irish media are so focused on the Trump administration that they appear to have missed events much closer to home. It would have been so much more beneficial if they had drawn attention to wanton wastage of taxpayers’ money by the Arts Council earlier. Let’s sort out our own financial wastage first before poking our noses into the activities of other administrations. Or is that too much of a logical step? – Yours, etc,
AILEEN HOOPER,
Stoneybatter,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – I found it incredible to learn that the Arts Council spent €6.7 million on a failed IT development project. The overspend was brought to the attention of the Department of Culture and Arts last summer when Catherine Martin held that portfolio.
I am bewildered as to why this was not publicly disclosed at the time.
We now need a complete root and branch review of all public bodies receiving taxpayers’ money.
Taxpayers have to continually pick up the tab for such extravagance. These problems need to be immediately reined in.– Yours, etc,
JOHN O’BRIEN,
Clonmel,
Co Tipperary.
Sir, – Is it just me or are we seeing money being thrown around like confetti? When it’s time to sweep up the mess, no one seems to be available to do so. There will be a review, a report but will anyone be held accountable? Not likely. This type of waste and lack of governance seems to be endemic. – Yours, etc,
BARRY ROONEY
Ashford,
Co Wicklow.
Street clutter
Sir, – It is interesting to read that lockboxes that have been attached to poles and cycle stands across Dublin city to distribute keys for letting are to be “removed and destroyed” under a new Dublin City Council policy (News, February 11th). Can I suggest instead that the poles themselves be removed? The visual clutter of excessive and useless poles and signage on the city’s streets – and indeed some of the suburbs also – is shameful and a blight on what could be a stunning cityscape if some care and attention was given to it. The attachment of a few lockboxes should be the least of the council’s worries. – Yours, etc,
GERARD REYNOLDS,
Dublin 16.
Professional advice
Sir, – I was shocked to read how much the State pays for advice from professional services firms (“Dublin law firm paid €15.1m for advising two State transport bodies”, February 12th). Perhaps we could commission one of these firms to report on the State’s reliance on external consultants. Then again, perhaps that would ruin the magic. – Is mise,
PATRICK WILLIAMS,
Waterford.
Sir, – The same edition of The Irish Times informs us that the “Department of Social Protection paid €1.4m a week to consultancies for IT projects” (News, February 12th) and that “Number of public servants set to exceed 400,000 this year” (News, February 12th). If there are so many thousands working in the public service, how come some of them can’t do the work that consultancies are doing? – Yours, etc,
PAUL DORAN,
Dublin 22.
Mind your language
Sir, – Further to “Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald writes to Ceann Comhairle following Dáil row with Taoiseach” (News, February 12th), I take it that those students who have looked to drop the national language from their personal curriculum will change their minds now that An Taoiseach has illustrated how effective a cúpla focal can be? – Yours, etc,
PETER DECLAN O’HALLORAN,
Belturbet,
Co Cavan.
Trump and Ukraine
Sir, – Further to “Trump says negotiations will begin ‘immediately’ to end war in Ukraine after call with Putin” (World, February 12th), if the objective of the “art of the deal” is to give your opponent everything they want, and more, then well done, Mr Trump, goal achieved. – Yours, etc,
SEÁN DOWLING,
Timoleague,
Co Cork.
Tackling the housing crisis
Sir, – Micheál Martin’s plan for the housing crisis involves leaving it to the private sector for the most part. While wondering isn’t that what got us to where we are, I am also wondering what measures he has put in place or plans to put in place to make sure poor-quality builds, particularly in apartments, do not reoccur. For potential purchaser and residents, not to mention the taxpayer, it is essential that significant changes to the current building regime are made so that we don’t end up with more substandard builds which endanger lives, cost the Government and owner extra, on top of large amounts already paid to builders, not to mind the stress of it all. – Yours, etc,
NIAMH BYRNE,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – Kathy Sheridan is quite correct in her column “We need a Nphet-style body to deal with the housing crisis” (Opinion & Analysis, February 12th) on the need for a coherent and continuous assessment on housing delivery. The last government did not manage the problem and, so far, it seems that the current Government will not do much better. There is a well-established business principle: “If you can’t (or don’t) measure it, you can’t manage it.”
It might be a bit much to have weekly reports issued, but monthly reports should be easily compiled. The Building Control Management System, local planning authorities, An Bord Pleanála, and the utility providers should be easily capable of providing information on housing starts, completions, and connections sufficient for compiling an accurate and comprehensive report for each month within the first few days of the following month. – Yours, etc,
MEL O’REILLY,
Naas,
Co Kildare.
NFL game for Croke Park
A chara, – Further to “NFL’s €10m shakedown of Ireland shows they’re the best-dressed welfare spongers in the world” (Dave Hannigan, Sport, Opinion, February 12th), the NFL game scheduled for Croke Park later this year will bring substantial revenue into the country, as well as the excitement and spectacle that goes with such a huge event.
The €10 million spent by the Government to bring it here seems like a good investment, even if Dave Hannigan believes that the NFL is milking it. In a week when it was revealed that the Department of Social Protection paid €126 million for IT services over four years, the Arts Council paid €6.7 million for an IT service it couldn’t use and two State transport bodies forked out €30 million to consultants over a four-year period, then the NFL is the least of our worries. At least we’ll be able to see something happening. – Is mise,
JOHN KELLY,
Bennekerry,
Co Carlow.
Sir, – Dave Hannigan’s frustration that the Government was “shaken down” to contribute €10 million to the upcoming NFL game in Croke Park is misplaced. Perhaps he should write about the positive economic impact that will unfold in Dublin’s hotels, pubs and restaurants as a result of having 80,000 NFL supporters in the capital, along with the international exposure received from a global TV audience. Multiple other cities across the world would line up to be “shaken down” for the certain economic windfall and public relations victory an event like this presents. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN QUINLAN,
San Francisco.
The element of surprise
Sir, – I commend our Government for identifying a “charm offensive” as a strategy in interacting with President Trump (“St Patrick’s Day visits: Full list of destinations as eight Ministers head for US”, News, February 12th).
However, as a non-diplomat, I’m obviously missing the reasoning that suggests announcing this publicly six weeks in advance is a positive idea. – Yours, etc,
GEORGE SALTER,
Mallow,
Co Cork.
Knowing the signs of ageing
Sir, – Telling a friend about my upcoming cataract operation, she replied, “You realise when that happens you’ll see all your wrinkles.” – Yours, etc,
VAL FITZPATRICK,
Dublin 5.
Sir, – When the bus driver waits until you are sitting down before moving off. – Yours, etc,
MAEVE EDWARDS,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – Three times this past week, I was offered a seat on the Luas by others.
At 54 years old, I am doing great for someone my age. – Yours, etc,
EUGENE REGAN,
Castlerea,
Co Roscommon.
Sir, – You know you are getting old when sitting down you discover that crossing your two legs requires two helping hands as well. – Yours, etc,
NOEL SHANAGHY,
Faithlegg,
Co Waterford.
