asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure in future that where information is sought on approved tenders it will be made available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Information on Approved Tenders.
17.
Mr. Leonard
Particulars of tenders are confidential to the parties concerned and it would be contrary to established practice to disclose those particulars. I am satisfied that it would not be in the public interest to depart from the present practice.
Mr. Leonard
Is the Minister aware that on 8 February I sought information by way of a question and that at that time he used the same words as he did today — that it would be contrary to established practice to disclose those particulars? Yet, in a written reply that same day, he gave the details and cost of a similar job.
That seems to be a separate question.
There is a misunderstanding here. What was given was the overall cost of a job, it was not a contract, that is the difference.
Mr. Leonard
I asked for the overall cost in my question. I asked for the cost.
The Deputy asked for the cost of a contract. The question here asks about tenders.
Mr. Leonard
No, they were similar in so far as one was in respect of carpets to China and the other was in respect of kitchen cabinets to Moscow. The Minister gave the price for the kitchen cabinets at £28,500 but he said — in fact he gave it by way of written reply — it was contrary to established practice to give it by way of oral reply.
No, we are talking about the overall cost of different things. What I am asked about here are tenders.
Question No. 18.
Is the Minister saying then that there is no way this House can get information regarding approved tenders as the question states?
I am saying it is generally Government practice that tender and contract prices are not given. I believe it is in the public interest that that should be so. I should say there is protection — let there be no misunderstanding — plenty of protection is provided. For example, there is the Government Contracts Committee which must investigate any contract where the lowest tender is not accepted and they must also be notified of every contract and price. There is then the Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee, so the House will see there is adequate protection. The particular one about which the Deputy asked me — on the occasion he mentioned — was in respect of a contract placed during the term of office of his party. I am sure he will be glad to hear from me that everything was above board and in order with regard to that contract.
Mr. Leonard
Would the Minister accept that local authorities and health boards make tenders public? Why then should a Government Department not do so in respect of amounts which are much in excess of those involved in the case of local authorities and health boards?
I am accepting that local authorities do that — I have some sympathy with the Deputy — but I am not going to change Government procedure in all Departments; it is not peculiar to the Office of Public Works. This is something that stretches right across the board and, if there is to be a change, it will have to be effected right across the board. I should say I have some personal sympathy with the question the Deputy has asked me.