Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am concerned about that. The Garda is making a payment to an ICT company, probably one of the biggest companies in the world, that does not really need it. How do we know that we got delivery of the €6 million worth of product when it is prepaid? The witnesses may say there was a schedule of payments but this committee is getting very concerned about prepayments and advance payments across the public service relating to ICT projects.

It is not because the companies need it for cashflow purposes. It is probably historical. There is no good reason for such a level. We have seen previously in the committee that other State organisations have made pre-payments but the product was not delivered, the company went out of existence, and the pre-payment was gone. There is a risk in making pre-payments. I might ask the Comptroller and Auditor General to comment because he is nodding in agreement.