Vol. 469 No. 6
99 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Health the number of transport companies invited to tender for the provision of transport services during EU ministerial visits and meetings; the name of each company; whether bus, taxi, hackney or limousine service companies were employed to provide such services, which did not have to go through a tender procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17988/96]
For the EU ministerial meeting in Adare, County Limerick, three companies were asked to tender for transport. The companies were Bus Éireann, Roxboro Road, Limerick, Conway Coaches, Raheen, Limerick and Mannings, Croom, County Limerick. Quotations were received from each company and as Conway Coaches submitted the lowest quotations, they were awarded the contract. Coaches, midicoaches, minibuses and cars were used by Conways throughout the duration of the meeting. The most cost efficient means of transporting the participants was used at all times. Transport was also provided by the Mid-Western Health Board minibus fleet at times when these minibuses were not required for routine patient transport services. Any taxies used were supplied by the company which currently holds the contract for the provision of general taxi services to the Mid-Western Health Board. That company holds the contract as a result of a public tendering process for a period of 12 months. In relation to limousine hire, the company that was utilised was Limerick Limousine Hire. No other limousine company was asked to tender for this aspect of transport as the board was unaware, having consulted locally, of any other company in the area which provided such a service.
