Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 January 2021
33. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport the amounts paid by his Department in 2019 or 2020 to any company or organisation for the production of a document (details supplied), including funds paid to any relevant subcontractor; and the dates of payment of each document. [3018/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra34. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport the number of meetings held between the former Minister for Transport, departmental officials and a consultancy organisation in relation to preparing a report (details supplied) in 2019 and in 2020; the date of each meeting; the names of the officials that attended in tabular form; and if a copy of departmental notes, minutes or briefings in advance of or following each meeting will be provided. [3019/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra35. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport the number of and dates of meetings held between the former Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, departmental officials and Irish Rail in relation to preparing a report (details supplied) in 2019 and 2020; the date of each meeting; the names of the officials who attended in tabular form; and if a copy of departmental notes, minutes or briefings in advance of or following each meeting will be provided. [3020/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 33 to 35, inclusive, together.
At the outset I think it useful to clarify the various roles and responsibilities in relation to the production of the two reports referred to by the Deputy.
In line with a decision of the previous Government, Iarnród Éireann commissioned EY economic consultants to undertake a financial and economic appraisal (sometimes also referred to as a preliminary appraisal) of a proposed re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor Phases 2 and 3. EY were commissioned by Iarnród Éireann following a competitive procurement process and Iarnród Éireann submitted a final report to my Department in July 2020. Management and oversight of EY’s work programme was a matter for Iarnród Éireann in line with their contractual arrangements, including payment of any fees.
Separately my Department arranged for JASPERS, an agency of the European Union / European Investment Bank, to conduct an independent review of the proposal once the work referred to above was complete. JASPERS provides advisory services to Member States (and other public authorities in the EU) and has extensive experience in relation to transport infrastructure proposals in European regions. There were no payments made to JASPERS in respect of this work as JASPERS’ services are available to Member States.
I am informed that there were no meetings of the type described the Deputy, viz. the former Minister and his Department meeting with Iarnród Éireann, EY or JAPSERS about preparation of the EY Report or the JASPERS Review.
For the Deputy's information, I can confirm that, following completion of the JASPERS Review, my Department and I held a virtual meeting with JASPERS. The meeting discussed the recently completed Review and also discussed the potential funding opportunities available generally at a European level to support our extensive sustainable mobility investment programme.
I can also confirm that, as is standard practice, my Department met with Iarnród Éireann and EY on two occasions during the course of their work in 2019: the first, introductory, meeting took place on 4 April shortly after Iarnród Éireann commissioned EY, with a second meeting held on 4 July 2019 at which a general update was provided. Following submission of a draft report by Iarnród Éireann in November 2019, a third meeting was held on 24 February 2020 which focussed on an initial Departmental review of the draft report and a technical assessment of the report as an economic appraisal with reference to relevant Public Spending Code and Common Appraisal Framework guidance.
Finally, in relation to JASPERS, I can confirm that there is ongoing engagement between my Department and JASPERS as part of their provision of advisory services in relation to aspects of our sustainable mobility investment programme, and that ongoing engagement would have included discussions in relation to their work on the review of the Western Rail Corridor Phases 2 and 3.
