€115m accounting system a critical risk as it makes things worse for civil servants using it, report says

The risk register warned that the The Financial Management Shared Services has increased the admin burden of financial units in 10 Government departments

Sinn Féin TD and chair of the Public Accounts Committee John Brady said the delayed project resembled many other State IT projects that have incurred significant cost overruns and stymied deliveries.

A €115 million accounting system for the civil service is actively damaging labour productivity across different arms of the State and is classified as a critical risk by the Department of Public Expenditure.

The Financial Management Shared Services (FMSS) was first commissioned in 2016 and expanded in 2022 with the intention of centralising accounting practices of different Government departments and officers — but is now unlikely to be rolled out in full this decade.