Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2004
193 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of contracts or procurements funded directly or indirectly by her Department during the past seven years in respect of which cost overruns have occurred; the full extent of such overruns; the cause or causes of same; the action taken to prevent a reoccurrence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4540/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraDuring the past seven years, my Department has entered into a very significant number of contracts and procurements in order to fulfil its administrative functions.
Ensuring that any list of contracts and procurements entered into by the Department since 1997 is comprehensive and exhaustive. Establishing whether or not overruns occurred, and the nature of such overruns, will require a very significant amount of staff time and resources and cannot be provided within the current timescale. I have instructed officials of my Department to compile the details for the Deputy, and have them forwarded to him as soon as possible.
My Department awards contracts and procurements based on the most economically advantageous tender and strives to ensure that all contracts or procurements offered provide the greatest value for money possible. Officers of my Department closely monitor these contracts for their full duration.
Indirect expenditure by my Department's agencies on contracts and procurements are day-to-day matters for those agencies and, as such, I have no function in the matter.
