Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 July 2014
421. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 124 of the 27 March 2014 if she has any further update on the matter in question and is in a position to outline the particulars of the case; if she will also advise if the original contract for consultation awarded to MH Consultancy was put out to tender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32886/14]
View answerI am advised that, in 2003, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) commenced a review of the operation of catering facilities at Glenveagh National Park. I understand that the services of a part-time faculty member of a locally-based educational establishment were engaged, with the intention of bringing specialist knowledge of the catering industry to bear on the review. I understand that the faculty member in question also traded under the name MH Consultancy, which, during the subsequent period from 2004 to 2006, was paid a total of €19,150 for 3 individual consultancies relating to the review of catering facilities at the National Park. From the information available to me, these consultancies would not appear to have been subject to a procurement process.
I am advised that subsequent substantive franchise contracts to run the tearooms at the Park, for which the licensee pays an annual fee to my Department, were subject to an open competitive tender process and were awarded to MH Consultancy.
Question No. 422 answered with Question No. 416.
