Generally speaking, all issues in relation to leases for premises for Government Departments/Offices, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are a matter for the Office of Public Works (OPW). However, there are a limited number of locations where the Department leases premises and the rents in respect of these are listed below.
I wish to inform the Deputy that, in line with EU and national rules on open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement, the Department ensures that there is an appropriate focus on good practice in procurement and that procedures are in place to ensure compliance with relevant guidelines and legislation to deliver value for money. Public procurement regulations apply to expenditure on goods, services and capital projects - but not to rents.
The amount spent by the Department on the rent of office space; and the amount spent on the procurement, purchase and rent of office equipment in each of the past ten years and to date in 2021 is set out below.
Year
|
Office Space
|
Office Equipment €
|
2010
|
n/a
|
2,778,197
|
2011
|
n/a
|
1,867,379
|
2012
|
n/a
|
1,379,013
|
2013
|
100,000
|
2,212,473
|
2014
|
100,000
|
4,511,537
|
2015
|
106,000
|
4,722,177
|
2016
|
115,149
|
2,261,957
|
2017
|
115,247
|
4,447,372
|
2018
|
115,518
|
4,587,738
|
2019
|
115,788
|
4,675,253
|
2020
|
114,959
|
3,958,529
|
2021 to date
|
119,755
|
3,068,893
|