The last few months have proven significant in the overall development of the Ctri project. Work continues on a large numbers of strands of the project and a new governance and resources proposal has been accepted by both the project board and the board of the National directorate. These new interim arrangements will provide even closer alignment between national project resources and local staff and this closer integration will enhance communications and align expectations.
It has now been agreed that initial Year one Tetra expenditure, which would have been borne by local government in relation to the project, will now be borne by central government for the first year. This emphasises the nature of this collaboration between local and national government. Although the new system will operate on a national basis, to national standards, the system will be operated and controlled by local government.
In addition, we have now widened membership of the project board and this will continue to reflect the views of a broad range of stakeholder interests. The project remains on track to secure value for money and to deliver within the projected timescales. I look forward to the project now further engaging with the resources of the three regional control centres and remain grateful for the terrific level of assistance provided from colleagues across local government and fire services.
My thanks also, go to the project team for the outstanding level of effort and commitment they have provided in 2017. The next 12 months will prove critical in the delivery of the Ctri project and it is likely that the project will conclude in spring 2019. As we push forward into the final, full year of the project, it will be even more important that both local and national government continue to work closely together, in order to deliver a system which secures the highest possible levels of public safety across Ireland.