Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 Jul 2003

Vol. 570 No. 3

Written Answers. - Cross-Border Agencies.

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

213 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will provide a breakdown of the total amounts allocated to any cross-Border agencies under the aegis of his Department since their inception; the precise details relating to consultancy services that were employed by these agencies since their inception; the manner in which consultants were appointed, including details of tendering systems employed; the manner in which successful consultants were advised of their appointment; the full amounts paid, or payable to date, on consultancy services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19085/03]

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. D. Ahern)

The Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission was established in 1999. Under the British-Irish Agreement it inherited the responsibilities of the Foyle Fisheries Commission. The following tabular statement provides a breakdown of the overall Exchequer budget allocation for the Loughs Agency as published in the annual Revised Estimates Volume.

Year	Allocation
2000	€2.538m.
2001	€1.524m.
2002	€1.518m.
2003	€2.735m.

In accordance with the British-Irish Agreement Acts 1999 to 2002, the Loughs Agency must comply with the provisions of a financial memorandum drawn up for the body by my Department, the Department of Finance, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland and the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland. The memorandum prescribes the detailed financial arrangements with which the body must comply, including those on the procurement of consultancy services for which the chief executive officer of the body is accountable to the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Northern Ireland Assembly or the United Kingdom Parliament, as appropriate.

The Loughs Agency has full delegated authority to appoint consultants subject to the requirements laid down in public procurement guidelines issued by the Department of Finance and the Northern Ireland Procurement Service.

Appointment of consultants is subject to prior notification to the Departments of the nature of the consultancy and the applicable terms of reference. Where the cost is likely to exceed €40,000 the prior approval of Departments is required before tenders are sought or the terms of reference are finalised.

The following is the information sought by the Deputy.

Use of Consultants –	FCILC	Loughs Agency
Period of Return:	Dec 99 to date
Name of Consultancy Subject	Amount Paid*	Manner of Tender	How Advised
Ferguson McIIveenCounter site Engineers	£32,266.90	open tender	letter
PriceWaterhouseCoopers Advisory	£10,056.71	GPA	call-off letter
PriceWaterhouseCoopers Pension Scheme	£8,394.91	GPA	call-off letter
PriceWaterhouseCoopers Staff Review	£30,620.43	GPA	call-off letter
PriceWaterhouseCoopers Accounts Work	£87,082.31	open tender	letter
OMI Consultancy Equality Scheme	£41,313.00	single tender	letter
Robin Wade Interpretative Centre	£81,227.69	open tender	letter
P McKevitt Architect Carlingford H/Q	£4,720.00	single tender	letter
MGM Civil Engineering Suitability test	£927.67	single tender	letter
Inter Trade Ireland Proposed Pension	£5,001.15	GPA	call-off letter
Hallmark Computers New Personnel system	£5,228.75	single tender	letter
Colin Stutt Economic Appraisal Int Centre	£3,945.65	single tender	letter
McCormick Tracey Mullarkey New H/Q	£51,056.68	open tender	letter
Marine Institute GIS Project	£5,503.33	single tender	letter
Central Fisheries Board Research Killygordon Salmon Enhancement	£3,028.00	single tender	letter
Fitzpatrick Associates Audit of Fisheries recreation and Leisure Resource	£34,727.01	open tender	letter
HELM Corporation Risk Management	£1,128.47	single tender	letter
HELM Corporation Economic Appraisal	£5,728.13	single tender	letter
HELM Corporation New Accounts Package	£1,998.86	single tender	letter
HELM Corporation Accounts 2002	£8,427.99	open tender	letter

*Sterling amount paid by the Loughs Agency