I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 to 218, inclusive, together.
The tenders received for the Aran Islands cargo service were assessed by a committee comprising officials from my Department. This is in accordance with the standard approach adopted in relation to the assessment of all ferry service tenders. While the officials in question do not hold technical qualifications of the nature referred to by the Deputy, I am satisfied that they have significant and adequate experience in assessing tenders of this nature.
I can also assure the Deputy that I am satisfied that the contract in this case was awarded following an open and fair tendering process, using the scoring system contained in the Request For Tender. It may be noted that the scoring of such tenders entails the assessment of a range of elements, with various marks available for each of those elements. A significant proportion of the available marks is allocated to the tender price - 40% of the overall marks in this instance. I should also point out that the successful tender in this case came in at a cost to the State which was considerably lower than the other tenders received.
In relation to docking on Inis Meáin, my Department’s information is that the cargo vessel failed to dock there on 2 days in the period from 1 January 2013 to 31 October 2013. It may also be noted that my Department has not, during this period, received any significant complaints from island representatives with regard to the cargo service that is being provided in this case.
In conclusion, I want to emphasise that my Department is dedicated to ensuring that a quality cargo service is in place for the Aran Islands. A number of issues that remain to be addressed have been raised with the operator and I can assure the Deputy that these are currently being pursued. I can also assure the Deputy that my Department will invoke any remedies that are available to it to ensure full compliance with its requirements within a reasonable timeframe.