Written Answers Nos. 231-240
231. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the current status of the Crossmolina flood relief scheme; what actions have been taken since the submission of the consultant's report to him recently; and to outline a timeline for progressing the scheme to construction. [3913/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019, the Office of Public Works has sought consent for the River Deel Flood Relief scheme under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995. My Department has appointed environmental consultants to carry out the necessary environmental assessments required.
In July 2023, additional supplementary information was requested from OPW to facilitate reaching a full, reasoned conclusion on the environmental impacts of the scheme. The OPW submitted supplementary information to my Department in November 2023.
This supplementary information is currently being examined by the environmental consultants retained by my Department. The supplementary information is being examined in order to inform the reaching of a reasoned conclusion on the environmental effects of the scheme. The supplementary information is also being examined in order to determine whether the information supplied is considered to be 'significant' in the context of Section 7.3(c) of the Regulations.
232. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform why the Office of Government Procurement has not granted a contract (details supplied) to the most economically competitive price submitted; if he will identify the sourcing team involved in the adjudication in this case; if he will explain why having decided to divide the country into 16 distinct lots for the purpose of this contract it subsequently decided to allocate the contract to a UK company for the entire country; if he will review this specific decision in light of the above and review the oversight of sourcing teams and their considerable powers; and if he will further clarify who is obliged to purchase from the preferred tenderer in circumstances where the public purse would be better served financially by allowing the entities obliged to purchase from cheaper providers who are Irish SME businesses. [3936/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has responsibility for establishing central procurement arrangements for commonly available goods and services. In June 2023, the OGP established a central procurement solution for the Supply of Cleaning, Paper, Personal Hygiene & Period Equality Products.
In establishing this arrangement the OGP adhered to the requirements of the Public Procurement regime. In April 2022, a Prior Information Notice (PIN) was published, advising the market of OGP’s intention to establish such a solution and seeking their inputs. As part of the tender design process the views and requirements of Public Service Bodies were also sought. The tender was published on the eTenders portal on 9th November, with a closing date of 19th December 2022. OGP conducted a detailed briefing session for all interested tenderers on 24th November 2022.
In line with the requirements of Circular 10/14: Initiatives to assist SMEs in Public Procurement, the tender was divided into sixteen (16) geographical lots. The specific number of lots a single tenderer could be awarded was restricted to no more than five (5). In total four (4) tenderers were appointed to the Framework. All tenderers appointed to the Framework Agreement have Irish operations.
The published tender advised tenderers that the evaluation of the tenders was based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), which included price and a published set of qualitative criteria.
Each tender submission was objectively and professionally evaluated by a Sourcing Team. This team comprised of subject matter experts from the HSE, the Local Government sector, Defence Force, Irish Prison Services, and the Education sector. OGP chaired the Sourcing Team.
The published tender identified the Public Service Bodies (non-commercial) that are in scope for the tender.
The OGP is satisfied that the tender process was robust, transparent and open, and adhered to all the requirements of the Public Procurement regime.
234. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the refurbishment works that were carried out by the OPW at Kilkenny Castle in 2023; the refurbishment works that are scheduled to be carried out at Kilkenny Castle during 2024, in tabular form. [4057/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMore time is needed to collate the information on the refurbishment of Kilkenny Castle. OPW will respond directly to the Deputy in this regard.
235. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the refurbishment works that were carried out by the OPW on Carlow Courthouse railings in 2023; the refurbishment works that are scheduled to be carried out on Carlow Courthouse railings during 2024, in tabular form. [4058/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAdditional time is needed to address the question tabled by the Deputy. OPW will response directly to the Deputy in this regard.
236. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the amount of revenue generated through parking charges at National Botanic Gardens in 2023. [4076/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere was no revenue generated through parking charges at the National Botanic Gardens in 2023.
238. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide a schedule of the number of civilian drivers and Garda drivers attached to him and to Ministers of State of his Department; to provide the official work pattern for each driver and the total annual hours worked by each driver; and to indicate the number of drivers assigned to each Minister and Minister of State. [4225/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn my role as Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, I am assigned two Garda drivers, each of whom works a week-on week-off pattern.
My Department employs two civilian drivers, both of whom are assigned to Minister of State Ossian Smyth. The Office of Public Works also employs two civilian drivers, both of whom are assigned to Minister of State Patrick O'Donovan. Each of these drivers works a week-on week-off pattern. Minister of State Smyth’s drivers worked approximately 1,073 hours per annum each and Minister of State O'Donovan’s drivers worked approximately 1,392 hours per annum each.
239. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on an appeal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3745/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Employment Permits Section of the Department informs me that the applications concerned have been returned to the applicant, together with a full refund of the application fee, as the documentation submitted did not comply with the legislative requirements.
It is important to note that an application for an employment permit can only be submitted when the Labour Market Needs Test has been completed and the application must be submitted within 90 days of the commencement of the advertisement on Jobs Ireland/EURES. In this case, the applications concerned were submitted outside the 90 day timeframe.
Any future applications made by the company must adhere to the requirements of the LMNT and the relevant minimum salary thresholds will apply.
240. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department has availed of services and or consultancy from a list of related companies (details supplied) in the past five years to date; if so, if he will provide a schedule of costs and the purpose for which the company was engaged; and if he continued to use services provided by it. [3778/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department considers hiring external consultants in cases where there is not the necessary expertise to deliver the project in-house, in cases where an external assessment is deemed essential, or in cases where a project must be completed within a short time scale, and although the expertise or experience may be available in-house, performing the task would involve a prohibitive opportunity cost. My Department complies with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's guidelines for engagements of consultants by the civil service, having regard to public procurement guidelines.
Details of services and consultancy commissioned by my Department in the years 2019 to 2023 from the companies identified by the deputy are set out in the table below.
|
Consultancy Company |
Consultancy Report/ Service provided |
Year |
Expenditure |
|
Grant Thornton |
Business Process reviews on internal systems |
2019 |
65,632 |
|
Grant Thornton |
Report on National Clustering Policy |
2021 |
48,737 |
|
Grant Thornton |
Review of Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund |
2021 |
34,120 |
|
Grant Thornton |
Connected Teams Project Report |
2021 |
55,181 |
|
Grant Thornton |
Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund Review |
2022 |
8,530 |
|
Grant Thornton |
National Clustering Policy and Framework |
2022 |
48,737 |
