Tensions between Government officials and the new media regulator have spilt over in internal rows over governance, the watchdog’s independence and a tender for up to €2 million on office furniture.
Internal correspondence shows the Department of Media reacted with concern after Coimisiún na Meán sought to spend up to €2 million on furniture for its offices in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
The regulator told The Irish Times it never intended to spend more than €500,000 on furniture for its 180 staff, the equivalent of almost €2,800 worth of furniture for every staff member, but that the higher €2 million tender was in case the regulator expanded in future.
Similar-sized new State entities have spent substantially less on furniture.
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In 2022, then minister for further and higher education Simon Harris said in a written response to a Dáil question that his new department spent a total of €105,000 on furniture, including fit-out costs, over the three years after it was established in 2020. The department has about 260 staff.
[ Tensions unpicked between Coimisiún na Meán and Department of MediaOpens in new window ]
Coimisiún na Meán’s executive chairman Jeremy Godfrey separately acknowledged to the secretary general at the Department of Media that there had been “tension” between their organisations over the independence of the regulator and their respective roles and responsibilities.
The media regulator was established last year to regulate broadcasters and online media.
In a letter to Mr Godfrey on June 26th, Department of Media secretary general Feargal Ó Coigligh said assurances on financial issues previously provided to the department by the regulator had come into question following a review by consultants Deloitte.
He said the regulator in the summer of 2023 sought sanction to acquire a 59-month lease for temporary accommodation.
“Assurances were given that no capital spend would be incurred in relation to furnishing this building. However, it has since come to our attention that a request for tender for €2 million re furniture has been issued,” said Mr Ó Coigligh.
In response to queries, the regulator said its current budget for furniture was about €500,000 and it was common to seek tenders for higher spending sums to account for future expansion.
The €500,000 would cover standard desks, chairs, meeting room furniture and pods for hybrid working, it said.
“The current combination of second-hand and temporary furniture does not enable the office space to be used efficiently and does not provide adequate facilities for meetings,” the regulator said.
In response to queries, Coimisiún na Meán said it had provided Catherine Martin’s department with accurate information to support appropriate drawdown requests for exchequer funding for its start-up costs. It said its expenditure for last year had been approved by the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Government’s spending watchdog.
Mr Godfrey told the department in a letter dated July 15th last that “some differences of opinion have arisen about the implications of Coimisiún na Meán’s independence and the roles and responsibilities of the department and Coimisiún na Meán in various governance matters”.
“This has become a regrettable source of tension between our teams.”
The department said its correspondence to Coimisiún na Meán formed part of its work with the regulator which had focused on building capacity to help it as it grew and dealt with a significantly wider remit than its predecessor. It said it was satisfied that the drawdowns by Coimisiún na Meán “have been fully reconciled and appropriately accounted for by the end of 2023″.
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