Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Feb 1999

Vol. 499 No. 3

Written Answers - Contracts and Disbursements.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

317 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number, description and identity of contracts, consultancies or disbursements entered into, awarded or approved by his Department since coming into office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2663/99]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):

The information as requested by the Deputy in relation to contracts, consultancies or disbursements (over the £50,000 limit set by the Deputy) which were entered into by my Department since I came into office is as follows:

Contracts-Consultancies-Services awarded by my Department

Nature of Contract-Consultancies	Awarded to	Estimated amount
Supply of consultancy services and systems for Department	Price Waterhouse Coopers (Head of consortium of various companies)	£4,300,000
Analysis of requirements and development of computer systems for the courts service	Ernst and Young (Head of consortium of various companies)	4,600,000
Supply of consultancy services and systems for Department	ICL (Head of consortium of various companies)	5,500,000
Personal computers Pre Oct. 98	Dell	967,000
Personal computers Oct. 98 to date	Dell	747,000
Laptop computers Pre Oct. 98	Dell	79,000
Laptop computers	Dell	253,000
Data servers	Cara Computer Systems	176,000
Data servers	Cara Computer Systems	254,000
Network Printers	Bryan S. Ryan	95,000
Network Printers	ICL	78,000
Personal Printers	OKI	83,000
Personal Printers	ICL	34,000
Oracle Licences	ICL	337,000
Install and support payroll	Core Computers	80,000
Payroll servers	Xpert Technologies	89,000
Payroll server	Xpert Technologies	45,000
Lotus Licences	Exselan	584,000
Software development	Exselan	80,000
Scanning system	Softco	85,000
Network components HQ	Workplace Technologies	70,000
Network components and installation in the Four Courts Complex	Workplace Technologies	99,000
Software System	SIRSI	55,000
System Maintenance	Belscan	210,000
Setting up secure Intranet for the Judiciary, including training and ongoing support	Exselan	250,000
Computer cabling	Kirby Electrical	69,000
Computer cabling	Cara Computers	60,000
Software consultancy and support	T. Lawlor consultant	97,000
Extension of video link system in the Four Courts	Scott & O'Shea Ltd	65,624
Security of courthouses in Dublin	Delta Security	131,677.66
Microwave Link, Four Courts	Ericsson	86,000
Instalment for acquisition of County Council Office in Dundalk adjacent to courthouse for court use	Louth Co. Council	500,000
Development of a financial management framework for An Garda Síochána	Deloitte and Touche, Management Consultants	94,000
Costing the recommendations contained in the Report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities	Fitzpatrick Associates, Economic Consultants.	76,230
Assisting in a review of promotion, including the design of new selection procedures, if necessary, in An Garda Síochána.	Saville and Holdsworth Ltd	73,000 to 117,000 approx. (depending on the extent to which existing systems are modified
Provision of licences and services for new computer system in the Land Registry	Electronic Data Systems Ltd	977,017 (with option to extend the contract to £2,580,000)
Supply of tooth paste to prisons	Richard Brierly & Co.	123,022
Supply of toilet paper to prisons	Jamont Dublin Janitorial	126,400

Contracts-Consultancies-Services awarded by my Department

Nature of Contract-Consultancies	Awarded to	Estimated amount
		£
Catering services for the staff canteen, Limerick Prison	Gardner Merchant	203,955
Supply of milk to Mountjoy Prison	Premier Dairies	228,447.30
Study of male-female wage differentials	ESRI	56,000
General healthcare study of prison population	UCG	144,000
Study of learning disabilities among prison population	Harrold Mulrooney Murphy	70,000

All contracts are subject to either Government tendering or EU procurement guidelines and directives. In addition to the contracts mentioned above there are contracts-payments made to the Office of Public Works, Government Supplies Agency or local authorities who act as agents of my Department.

Prison Building ProjectsThe total of contracts for prisons building projects entered into by my Department since July 1997 to date is £46,579,033.49. The total expenditure on professional fees in respect of services rendered by my Department during the same period in relation to prison design works or specific building projects amounted to £1,086,319.12. It would not, however, be appropriate for me to break these figures down to reveal the cost of each consultancy or contract because of the market sensitive nature of this information. Furthermore, in the interests of the security of the prisons, it would not be appropriate for me to identify contractors, consultancy firms or individual consultants in particular prisons works or specific building projects.

Grants awarded and disbursements entered into by my Department to various Organisations: Equal Opportunities Childcare ProgrammeIn July 1998, I approved funding under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, to the following organisations under the capital infrastructure initiative, the community support initiative and the employer demonstration initiative:

	£
Cork – Capital
Cork and Ross Family Centre-St. Maries of the Isle Day Care Nursery	50,000
Coláiste Stiofan Naofa	50,000
Cork – Community Support
Cork and Ross Family Centre	80,000
Togher Pre-school and Family Centre	80,000
Wallaroo Playschool Ltd.	80,000
Clare – Community Support
Clare Childcare Centre	80,000
Carlow – Capital
CANDO	50,000
	£
Dublin – Capital
Ringsend-Irishtown Community Playgroup	60,000
St. Joseph's Training Centre	50,000
Cabra Childcare Support Group	50,000
Pearse College Crumlin Playgroup-Crèche	65,000
Mercy Family Centre	50,000
Southside Childcare Action Group	50,000
Dublin Adult Learning Centre	50,000
Dublin – Community Support
Connolly Information Centre for the Unemployed	80,000
Fatima Groups United	80,000
Fingal ICTU Centre for the Unemployed	80,000
Focus Ireland	80,000
Larkin Unemployed Centre	80,000
Lourdes Youth and Community Service	80,000
Markiewicz Community Centre	80,000
Parents Alone Daycare Centre	80,000
Ronanstown C.C.C. Ltd.	80,000
St. Andrew's Resource Centre	80,000
Tallaght Childcare Centre	80,000
Dublin – Employer Demonstration
Aer Rianta	100,000
Ballyfermot Partnership in conjunction with EDI, Michael H, AET and the Chamber of Commerce	82,000
Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children	85,000
Esat Digifone, Esat Telecom, IBEC	50,000
Galway – Capital
Westside Comm. Dev. Resource Centre	75,000
Galway – Community Support
Muintearas	80,000
Galway – Employer Demonstration
Galway City Partnership in conjunction with Boson Scientific, Compaq Computer Corp. Bethaherm, McGraw Hill and AND DATA	150,000
Kerry – Capital
Brothers of Charity	80,000
Keel Community Council Ltd.	70,000
Kerry – Community Support
IRD Waterville	80,000
Valentia Island Res. and Childcare Centre	80,000
Kerry – Employer Demonstration
Fujisawa Ire. Ltd. in association with South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd.	150,000
Louth – Employer Demonstration
Midlands Health Board (St. Vincent's Hospital) in conjunction with Mountmellick Development Association and Laois County Council	75,000
Louth – Community Support
Holy Family Community Crèche	80,000
	£
Limerick – Capital
West Limerick Resources Ltd.	65,000
Limerick – Community Support
Limerick Social Services Council	80,000
Moyross Community Crèche	80,000
Limerick – Employer Demonstration
Limerick University	150,000
Sligo – Capital
Tubbercurry Childcare Steering Committee	50,000
Tipperary – Capital
Knockanrawley Resource Centre Ltd.	60,000
Barnardos	65,000
Tipperary – Community Support
Knockanrawley Resource Centre Ltd.	80,000
Waterford – Capital
Ballybeg Comm. Dev. Project Ltd.	80,000
Westmeath – Community Support
Women's Comm. Projects (Mullingar)	80,000
Wicklow – Capital
Bray VEC	50,000
Wexford – Capital
Junglebox Childcare Centre	60,000
Wexford – Community Support
Junglebox Childcare Centre	80,000
South West Wexford Comm. Dev. Group	80,000

DIT/NOW Childcare ProjectFunding of £50,000 was provided towards this project in April 1998. The aim of this project is to develop a common standard of training in early childhood care and education. The project is addressing accreditation and training and the value of flexibility in those areas, as well as recognition for existing skills and knowledge.

IPPA

In July 1998, funding of £50,000 was provided to the Irish Pre-Schools Playgroups Association towards the cost of the Nova Training Project. The aim of this project is to develop, deliver and evaluate accredited training, both for adult educators and early years personnel.

Shanty ProjectIn December 1998, funding of £100,000 was approved by my Department towards the capital costs of the Shanty Educational Project.

Irish Refugee CouncilA total of £66,532 was paid to the Irish Refugee Council in respect of financial assistance provided by my Department during the period January to September 1997.

Intergovernmental Consultations on Asylum, Refugee and Migration Policies£50,930.61 was paid to the Intergovernmental Consultations on Asylum, Refugee and Migration Policies in Europe, North America and Australia (IGC) on 8 July 1998 in respect of Ireland's participation on the Intergovernmental Conference.

UNHCR£78,567 was paid to UNHCR in respect of the one year (April 1997 to March 1998) posting of a UNHCR representative to Ireland.

Refugee Legal ServiceA Refugee Legal Service to be provided by the Legal Aid Board by agreement following a proposal submitted by the Legal Aid Board to me. The amount included in the estimates for funding in 1999 is £1 million.

Individual disbursements made to a number of Organisations by the Prison Service.

	1997	1998
	£	£
Prison Officer Medical Aid Society	259,362	372,116.00
Grant payments for provision of Dental Services to Prisons – Dublin Dental Hospital	144,778	235,847.00
Payment of Librarian Fees – Dublin Corporation Public Libraries	71,862	72,415.78

Probation and Welfare Service – Projects

Harristown House, Castlerea	£132,250 per annum
Moyross Workshop Project	£42,000 per annum
Tralee Youth Centre	£55,800 once-off capital payment
Ruhama Women's Project Voluntary Organisation working with women in prostitution	£50,000 matched funding for two years (1998-99)

Part-funding of costs of Community AlertGrant to Muintir na Tire – £80,000.

The Expert Working Group on Childcare was established in July, 1997 under Partnership 2000 and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has chaired the group to date. A research project was commissioned by this Department on behalf of the members of the expert working group – The Economics of Childcare in Ireland. This study was conducted by Goodbody Economic Consultants at a total cost of £70,482.50.

An Garda SíochánaThe Garda Authorities enter into contracts for goods and services on a regular basis. They have been asked to provide information in relation to all contracts entered into, in the time period specified, that were in excess of £50,000. They are at present compiling this information and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.