My Department's capital allocation in 2005 is €11.108 million and most of the moneys allocated are for use by other bodies. My Department is not engaged in managing major capital projects and the issue of reviewing contracts in excess of €30 million does not therefore arise.
I should add that although the Office of Public Works is not funded directly or indirectly by my Department's Vote, in view of the subject of the Deputy's question, my Department has asked that office to communicate to the Deputy any relevant information concerning it.
In my address of 20 October last to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce I set out a number of measures to promote better value for money including a requirement that for large projects over €30 million there will be a formalised contracts review by the Departments concerned with reports to their Minister and with provision for audit by my Department. This provision is focused on the internal management by Departments of capital projects. I wrote to all Ministers on 20 October asking them to ensure that their Departments take immediate steps, as appropriate, to implement the measures in my address in areas under their remit. Follow-up work is under way in my Department on updating existing guidelines and other necessary steps to ensure that all the measures are implemented in full. Consideration is being given in this context to the arrangements to be put in place in my Department regarding the provision for audit of contracts for major projects in excess of €30 million.