Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Four weeks ago information pertaining to all contracts in each Department was circulated on foot of parliamentary questions. Every Minister and Department was asked to ensure that all contracts were properly in place. As shown in the detailed report, most press work is done by civil servants. People were asked to ensure that standards were in place regarding contracts.

The Quigley report recommended the Department of Finance review the guidelines dating from 1999 with regard to the engagement of consultants, especially in the context of single tendering arrangements where "urgently" is stated as the grounds for proceeding, and the Department will do so. What happened in the case in question is that the normal procurement where three or four tenders are procured before making a decision were not followed. I understand that in many cases people must proceed on a quicker basis, but the recommendations are that it should be examined in areas where it occurs. The procurement system should be strengthened.

People must follow the Cabinet guidebook for Ministers and that is the sanction. People must follow the procedures laid down and abide by them. They are subject to the procedures under the ethics in public office guidelines. A Minister of State in the previous Government had to resign for what was a very small breach by anyone's standards in that he effectively left something out. However, those are the rules and people must abide by them. They are extreme, harsh and tough on people's political careers and lives and would be regarded as such.

Deputy Ó Caoláin asked a question about best practice. In an ideal world we would try to follow procurement arrangements as much and for as long as we could. Many EU procurements follow these standards in the normal sense. I am not speaking of political involvement but the procedures take much time and are very demanding and we must follow them. That is done in the normal course of events and is something that Departments and Accounting Officers, including those involved in this case, work hard to achieve.

On Deputy O'Dowd's question, my understanding is that the reason they were refused was that it would have been prejudicial to Dermot Quigley's inquiry which was ongoing at that stage.

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