I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together.
My Department operates a devolved procurement function whereby each business unit and Office of the Department is responsible for the procurement of their own goods, services and related contracts, with corporate oversight via a Procurement Co-ordination Unit, headed at Principal Officer level.
The Offices of the Department include the Companies Registration Office (which incorporates the Registry of Friendly Societies and the Register of Beneficial Owners), the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland, the Labour Court and the Workplace Relations Commission.
With regard to awards made without a holding a tender process, as the Deputy may be aware, under the terms of the Department of Finance Circular 40/2002, my Department, including the Offices, is required to provide an annual report to the Comptroller and Auditor General providing details of any contracts for goods or services valued at €25,000 or more (excluding VAT) that were awarded without first holding a competitive process i.e. obtaining quotations or advertising on eTenders, the Irish Government’s electronic tendering platform administered by the Office of Government Procurement.
In order to provide the Deputy with the information sought to the fullest extent for each of the entities in question spanning the past five years, it will not be possible to provide the details requested within the timeframe specified. These details will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible over the coming days.
Procurements and contracts entered into by the Agencies of my Department are a day-to-day matter for the Board and Chief Executive Officers of the Agencies, and also subject to annual examination by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
