John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 120: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the guidelines on Department procurement practices and the processes which have been put in place for the approval and reporting on consultancies and for process auditing of all major procurement contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30439/05]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 601: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the guidelines in place for the commissioning of outside expertise in the consultancy and public relations fields; and if ministerial approval is required for approval of expenditure on such commissions. [30166/05]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 602: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the percentage of reports, consultancies and cases from external commissions where the issue of poor value for money was highlighted, in his Department from 1998 to date in 2005. [30181/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 120, 601 and 602 together.

My Department has regard to the appropriate Department of Finance guidelines on engaging consultants. In addition, following the Quigley report, procurement guidelines and practices in the Department were reviewed in March 2005 and a set of consolidated guidelines has been circulated to all staff. Briefings on these have been provided to personnel in all divisions of my Department. The Department's internal guidelines require all general contracts over €25,000 and all consultancy contracts to be reported to a central unit which undertakes a process audit of the procurement prior to award of contract.

Proposals for use of consultancy services by my Department are set out in divisional work programmes which are reviewed and approved by my Department's management team at the beginning of each year. I and the Ministers of State at my Department meet regularly with the management team and in that context or otherwise would be consulted on significant new consultancy proposals on a continuing basis.

Following on from the Taoiseach's announcement of 11 October, a further review is now under way in my Department of the processes in place for the approval and management of consultancies. This review will be completed shortly and revised processes will be put in place if required.

As regards value for money, the payment process in my Department requires that all deliverables from external commissioners are certified by the appropriate officer as meeting the Department's requirement before payment is approved.