Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 6, inclusive, together.

These questions relate to the findings of the Quigley report, which was published in 2005. That report highlighted the need for special care in cases where a proposed consultancy comprises an element of direct service to a Minister or Minister of State, particularly in the public relations or communications areas, and-or where a Minister or a Minister of State suggests the name of a person or enterprise as being suitable.

As my predecessor previously outlined, following publication of the Quigley report, additional procurement guidelines were approved by the Government and are published on my Department's website. The guidelines were brought to the attention of all Secretaries General, who were asked to implement them and to bring them in future to the attention of all newly-appointed Ministers and Ministers of State, where relevant, in their Departments or offices.

The guidelines give the Secretary General to the Government and the Government secretariat a role in examining certain procurements. However, there is neither a special unit in my Department nor an interdepartmental group chaired by it to oversee the awarding of public relations contracts by Ministers. Any workload arising from the application of these additional procedures is handled, within existing resources, by the Government secretariat.

See this speech in context