Vol. 518 No. 6
245 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Finance the reason a premises was built to Office of Public Works specifications in Castlebar, County Mayo, before tenders had been sought, by public advertisement, for a permanent driving test centre in Castlebar; and the way in which other tenders can compete on an equal basis in view of the fact that the decision to award the driving test centre to Castlebar was taken on a value-for-money basis. [12543/00]
246 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Finance the reason it was necessary to have a tender situation for the permanent driving test centre in Castlebar, County Mayo, when the venue was already selected. [12545/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 246 together.
A premises constructed by a local sports club met the Department of the Environment and Local Government's requirements for a driving test centre in Castlebar. Details of the driving test centre requirements were furnished to the sports club at their request, but with absolutely no commitment to lease such space if constructed.
The Commissioners of Public Works, in the interests of competition and to ensure that all possible options had been identified, advertised for proposals for accommodation for the driver testers.
In addition to the sports club, another location proposed by a different local sports club also emerged as suitable. Both parties were requested to submit tenders on a value-for-money basis and the proposal put forward by the original club was the more competitive one.
To have selected the location on a different basis would not have been the best use of taxpayers' money. The tender competition was conducted and evaluated fully on a like with like comparison of proposals. The driving test centre had previously been accommodated on a short-term basis, in premises owned by both competing sports clubs.
