Revenue spent over €50k on computer equipment after monitor started to smoke

Ken Foxe

The Revenue Commissioners had to spend more than €50,000 replacing computer equipment after a monitor in their investigations and prosecutions office started to billow smoke.

A total of 377 monitors – some of which were in use by staff working from their homes – had to be quickly taken out of commission as a “precautionary measure.”

The Revenue said the monitors represented just a “nominal share” of all computer screens used by staff, around 2.5 percent of the total.
They said the model involved was over 15 years old and typically used by officials as a second screen to help them with their work.

Documents released under FOI show the alert was raised last November when an email was sent from the Investigation, Prosecution, and Frontier Management division in Dublin.

It said: “We have had an issue with one of the monitors in the building billowing smoke while on standby … we’re hoping you could advise on what the best course of action is.

“Does this particular model of monitor pose a fire risk? We presently have sixty-two identical monitors in use throughout the building.”

In response, an official said there was no “known safety issue” with the screens but that all power cables should be disconnected and the monitors removed from use.

A message said: “Please store in a suitable location for future collection.”
A short time later, a wider alert went out to Revenue offices nationwide saying the monitors were to be taken out of commission.

The email said: “We ask you to check all desks in your building for any of these monitors and if any, please remove.
“Similarly, if any staff members are utilising these monitors for blended working, these should be swapped out.”

In response, the office where the problem was first noticed said they had removed the screens but asked when replacements would arrive.

An email said: “The monitors are urgently required as we now have sixty-two workstations without a monitor, and we cannot facilitate all staff at present.”

Asked about the alert, a spokesperson for Revenue said costs for replacement and delivery of new monitors had been just over €50,000.

She said the old ones were mostly used as second screens meaning staff “were able to continue their work during the short period of time in which [they] were removed and replaced.”

The spokesperson added that Revenue already had underway a programme to modernise their systems and underlying technology.

She said: “Revenue is committed to optimising the use of technology and continued investment in our information technology capability. This includes upgrades to our computer equipment.”