Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 343: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the amount paid to a consultancy company, details supplied, in respect of each year since 2000; the details of each of the contracts and services provided; the nature of the controls applied in the procurement process or processes; if she has satisfied herself that value for money has been achieved in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29449/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Details of the contract between my Department and the consultancy company concerned follow. I am satisfied that it provided value for money in this case.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 344: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the amount paid to a consultancy company, details supplied, in respect of each year since 2000; the details of each of the contracts and services provided; the nature of the controls applied in the procurement process or processes; if she has satisfied herself that value for money has been achieved in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29464/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Payments made by my Department to the firm in question during the period 2000 to date relate solely to work undertaken by it in respect of the civil registration modernisation programme. The work undertaken relates primarily to the development of and support for the information technology system required to support the modernisation programme.

The civil registration modernisation programme was a programme of work undertaken jointly by my Department and the Department of Social and Family Affairs. One of the main elements of the programme was the development of an information technology system for electronic registration of life events and sharing of registration data. The programme was overseen by a steering committee with representatives from a number of Departments and agencies and was managed by a programme management group which reported to the steering committee. The procurement exercise for the appointment of consultants to develop the computer system was undertaken by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. I understand that the procurement exercise was carried out in accordance with EU and Department of Finance requirements. Moneys in respect of this contract were paid by the Department of Social and Family Affairs to the firm in question during 2001 and 2002 and my Department, as the ultimate owner of the new system, took over responsibility for payments in respect of the contract in 2003. The total amount paid by my Department in 2003 was €1,271,662.40.

The civil registration information technology system went live in the former southern health board region in late 2003 and was subsequently rolled out to all other former health boards during 2004. The system has brought considerable benefits to members of the public and other Departments and public bodies. The registration of life events and production of certificates is now electronic and the time taken to complete these transactions has been significantly reduced.

Data is passed electronically from the General Register Office, GRO, to the Department of Social and Family Affairs for the purpose of processing claims and payments for child benefit. The processing time for child benefit applications has been reduced from 20 days to two days as a result. This process is further enhanced by the transfer of births data electronically from maternity hospitals to GRO and the electronic allocation of PPS numbers in respect of newly registered births.

Deaths data are made available to all public bodies through REACH via the inter-agency messaging service. This is of considerable value to public bodies in managing schemes such as medical cards, pensions and so on. Statistical data are also transferred electronically to the Central Statistics Office, CSO, and this greatly improves the ability of the CSO to manage, analyse and report such data which is essential for public policy and planning.

A further contract was subsequently entered into by my Department with the same firm for the provision of support and maintenance and for minor enhancements to the civil registration computer system. This contract was awarded following a competitive tendering process which was carried out in accordance with EU and Department of Finance procurement rules. The contract is for the period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2005. The amounts paid to date to the firm in question are as follows: 2004, €560,457.60 and 2005, €491,219.28.

The civil registration modernisation programme has been recognised nationally and internationally as an excellent example of best practice in public administration and has received awards from the EU, the European Institute of Public Administration, The Wall Street Journal and Computerworld magazine. I am satisfied that the modernisation programme has resulted in a greatly improved service to the public and to public service organisations and represents value for money.