Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 17 Apr 1996

Vol. 464 No. 1

Written Answers. - Legal Services Costs.

Batt O'Keeffe

Ceist:

61 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health the cost to each health board in respect of legal services in each of the years 1994 and 1995; his views on whether a tendering process should be introduced for the provision of such services in view of the escalation of costs. [7718/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan

, Limerick East): The information sought by the Deputy is as follows:

Health Board	Cost of Legal Services
1994	1995
	£	£
Eastern	967,000	1,100,000
Midland	84,192	42,670
Mid-Western	80,000	117,000
North-Eastern	138,000	111,000
North-Western	58,710	56,652
South-Eastern	76,000	79,000
Southern	254,296	262,866
Western	260,600	209,590

The basic principle of public procurement is competitive tendering, but issues such as continuity of service, expertise in particular areas of law, such as child care, and local availability must be taken into account in relation to legal services.

It is important for each health board to ensure that it obtains its legal services at a competitive cost, but I am not satisfied that a tendering process is necessarily the best way of achieving this. The issue will be followed up with the health boards.