Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his internal auditors are satisfied with the procurement process used in the purchase of a consultancy service (details supplied); if the process used conforms with the Department of Finance guidelines. [33411/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The initial cost of the subscription to the executive programme provided by the company to which the Deputy refers was €13,225 in 2003. The cost of the subscription rose to €31,439 in 2004 and €34,989 in 2005. My Department did not go out to tender, given the specialised nature of the subscription service and the absence of similar suitable alternatives. The Department's internal audit unit has been requested to review the current arrangements for subscribing to the service as well as the value for money dimension of the service.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if value for money has been achieved by his Department in its purchase of a consultancy service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33420/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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My Department advises that the service provided by this company represents value for money. The service to which the Department subscribes falls into two categories, regular briefing material on current and future trends in the ICT industry and direct access on demand to research analysts who specialise in particular ICT industry segments. Both services are being used frequently and have provided quality data and analysis to the Department's information systems division in the context of developing and driving strategic approaches to ICT across its diverse business areas.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if any of his officials have attended as VIP guests at a conference organised by a company (details supplied); the locations, dates and costs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33429/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I have been advised that none of my officials has attended conferences organised by the company referred to, as VIP guests. One official has attended two such conferences in the past 18 months. The conference registration fee was included as part of the company's executive programme to which my Department subscribes. All other travel costs and expenses for the official concerned were paid by my Department.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 244: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his knowledge of a consultancy service (details supplied); the number of officials of his Department who are members of this particular programme; the basis on which the decision was taken to subscribe at this level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33438/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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My Department subscribes annually to the service provided by the company to which the Deputy refers in terms of analysis and research information on ICT strategic business and technology trends and best practice.

The executive programme is available to all members of staff in the information systems division. Currently there are 25 officials who have direct access to the programme, together with senior management and other officials of the Department as required.

I am advised that the subscription represents value for money as a quality and topical source of advice on strategic trends and analysis in global business and technology. The subscription will continue to be kept under review to ensure that it represents ongoing value for money and organisational benefit for the Department's information systems division and senior management.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of competing companies that were considered in his Department's assessment before a company (details supplied) was granted a programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33447/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The company to which the Deputy refers was the only company considered for such a subscription by the Department due to pre-eminence in its specific field of expertise, as well as localised presence in Ireland.