I do not have that information with me. The £3.5 million tender won the contract. A report outlining the conclusions of the Garda experts with regard to each of the award criteria was forwarded by the Garda authorities to my Department. Having examined the report in detail, my Department applied, in compliance with national procurement procedures, to the Government contracts committee for approval to award the contract in accordance with the recommendation of the Garda evaluation team. For the purpose of the application, the committee was provided with the relevant background information and the financial details of the qualifying tenders. Following approval of the application by the Government contracts committee, the contract was awarded on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender.
Subsequent to the award of the contract, the unsuccessful qualifying tenderer raised a series of questions in connection with the procurement process undertaken in the matter. On foot of these queries, reports were sought and obtained by my Department from the Garda authorities, in particular in relation to specific aspects of the evaluation exercise carried out by the Garda experts. Having received the relevant reports from the Garda authorities, my Department carried out a comprehensive review of the procedures leading to the award of the contract and it concluded that the process had operated in accordance with procurement requirements and had not favoured any particular supplier. In addition, a significant amount of information was made available by my Department to the unsuccessful qualifying tenderer in the course of correspondence.
The unsuccessful qualifying tenderer has also requested the Ombudsman to examine complaints about the way in which its correspondence has been dealt with by my Department. However, the Ombudsman is not reviewing the procedures which resulted in the award of the contract. A report on the relevant aspects has been provided by the Department to the Office of the Ombudsman and I understand examination of the matter is continuing in that office.
I will now turn to the other part of the question that refers to the report on the value for money examination by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The events that preceded the report on the value for money examination by the Comptroller and Auditor General on purchasing tyres by the Garda Síochána are now well known, but for the benefit of the House I will again set them out. A newspaper article, published on Sunday, 11 February 2001, alleged that members of the Garda Síochána and a civilian employee at Garda headquarters had participated in trips abroad paid for by a company which supplies tyres and related services to the Garda Síochána.
As soon as I became aware of the allegations, I took immediate action. On 13 February 2001, I advised the Dáil that the Garda Commissioner had asked a chief superintendent to look at the allegations. I also stated that I was of the view that the matter warranted an external examination and that the Secretary General of my Department, in his capacity as Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote, had instructed the internal audit unit of the Department to examine the matter. I also said the Secretary General of my Department had been in discussion with the Comptroller and Auditor General about arranging an independent examination of the matter from a financial control point of view.
The Public Services Commission also wrote to my Department on 13 February 2001 making certain inquiries related to this matter and the relevant information sought from the Department was forwarded to it. I understand the Public Services Commission also wrote to the Garda Commissioner about the matter.
The Comptroller and Auditor General carried out a value for money examination on the purchase of tyres by the Garda Síochána which he completed and submitted to me. As soon as I received the report, I immediately arranged for copies of it to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas. This was done on 21 November 2001. The Committee of Public Accounts will examine this report next month.
The Government Supplies Agency which has responsibility for procuring a range of items for Departments and other agencies, including the Garda Síochána, also has a role to play in this matter. The tender competition for the supply of tyres was held by the agency. I understand the agency is investigating the supply of tyres for official vehicles with a view to ascertaining whether the conduct of particular contractors or suppliers breached conditions of contract. Discussions are currently taking place between my Department, the Government Supplies Agency and the Garda Síochána in relation to the holding of a new tender competition.
As indicated in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, there was an overpayment for the supply of tyres to the Garda Síochána. However, the full amount has yet to be determined. This matter is currently being investigated by the internal audit unit of the Department. As soon as the exact amount is known, all necessary steps will be taken to ensure that the amount involved is recovered.
The criminal investigation is also progressing. I am informed that a file was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions on 20 April 2001. I am also informed that on 3 August 2001 the DPP sought additional information and that a further file was submitted on 13 September 2001. The directions of the DPP in this matter are currently awaited.
The internal audit unit in my Department has also raised certain queries with the Garda authorities concerning apparent irregularities that came to their notice in the course of the internal audit investigation. These irregularities are currently the subject of a separate criminal investigation by the Garda. This is at an advanced stage and it is expected that a file will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions shortly.
The Garda Commissioner has also taken action. He initiated a disciplinary investigation under the Garda Síochána (Discipline) Regulations, 1989. It was during the course of this investigation that certain matters that may be of a criminal nature came to light and a file was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
On a more general note, the Garda SMI programme of change has since 1998 been concerned with improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Garda management. Arising from the Garda SMI a new finance directorate has been introduced, headed by a civilian accounting expert, to develop a new financial framework for the Garda Síochána. As part of a general review of Garda organisational arrangements, consultants have been asked, taking account of the recent difficulties in the transport section, to make recommendations to improve the situation. I expect to see the final report early next year. As an interim measure, the Commissioner directed that the processing, certification and payment of invoices from the company in question be transferred to the finance section at Garda headquarters. Deputy Howlin asked the value of the tender from the other tendering party. It was in the region of £2.71 million.
