The Revenue Commissioners had to spend more than €50,000 on replacing computer equipment after a monitor in their investigations and prosecutions office began emitting smoke, reports Breaking News.
A total of 377 monitors—including some used by remote-working staff—were swiftly decommissioned as a precautionary measure.
Revenue stated that these monitors accounted for only a “nominal share” of all screens used by staff, making up approximately 2.5% of the total.
The affected model was over 15 years old and primarily served as a secondary screen to assist officials with their tasks, reports Breaking News.
Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request revealed that the issue was first reported last November when an email was sent from the Investigation, Prosecution, and Frontier Management division in Dublin.
The email stated: “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, reports Breaking News.
“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 confirmed that there were no known safety concerns with the monitors but advised that all power cables should be disconnected and the affected units removed from use.
The message further instructed: “Please store in a suitable location for future collection,” reports Breaking News.
Shortly afterward, a broader notice was sent to Revenue offices across the country, instructing that these monitors be taken out of service.
The email read: “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,” reports Breaking News.
Following this, the office where the issue had first been detected confirmed the removal of the monitors but inquired about replacements.
An email stated: “The monitors are urgently required as we now have sixty-two workstations without a monitor, and we cannot facilitate all staff at present,” reports Breaking News.
When asked about the incident, a Revenue spokesperson confirmed that the cost of purchasing and delivering replacement monitors had been just over €50,000.
She explained that the affected units were mostly secondary screens, allowing staff to continue working while awaiting replacements, reports Breaking News.
The spokesperson also noted that Revenue had already begun a programme to modernise its systems and technological infrastructure.
She stated: “Revenue is committed to optimising the use of technology and continued investment in our information technology capability. This includes upgrades to our computer equipment,” reports Breaking News.
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