asked the Minister for Local Government whether he will cause an inquiry to be held into the facts and circumstances surrounding (a) the acceptance of the tender submitted by the contractor at present engaged in the erection of 62 houses for the Westmeath County Council at Green Road, Mullingar; and (b) the cancellation of the tender which was originally accepted for the project.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mullingar Housing Contract.
Five tenders were received in August, 1947, by the Westmeath County Council for the erection of 58 (not 62) houses at Green Road, Mullingar. The tender of Messrs. Kelly and Sons, Mullingar, was the lowest and its acceptance was submitted for sanction. It was found that the provision in the tender for development work amounted to £30,000 approximately, or about one-third of the total contract price, whereas the estimate for this portion of the work was only £8,810. It was, accordingly, decided to revise the development plans and to invite each of the contractors who had tendered for the original work to submit fresh tenders on the basis of the revised plans and bills of quantities. Three such tenders were received and on the 16th December, 1947, the lowest, that of Messrs C. Doyle and Sons, Mullingar, was accepted on the advice of the council's responsible technical officer. On the information before me, I consider that the facts and circumstances were fully examined at the time and that the decision made is not one which could now be properly or usefully reviewed.
Would the Minister state how the bill of quantities submitted by Messrs. Kelly & Sons came to be opened and how the information contained in that bill of quantities came to be published in the Press?
Mr. Murphy
Unfortunately I have no information on that matter. The Deputy will understand that such a matter would be entirely beyond my knowledge.
Will the Minister undertake to have a full inquiry made into the circumstances surrounding the granting of this contract?
Mr. Murphy
If the Deputy will furnish me with any additional information about any matters in connection with this contract that he thinks require investigation I will be very happy to undertake that.