Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 392: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress made within his Department in relation to reviewing existing contract specifications awarded by all Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6360/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs is fully engaged in implementing the value for money measures announced by the Minister for Finance in his speech of 20 October 2005. One of those measures involves a requirement for Departments to review existing contract specifications for projects which exceed a value of €30 million. My Department is not involved in any projects above that threshold.

The Deputy may wish to note that the major capital project being undertaken by my Department in 2006 relates to the introduction of biometric features in passports. The passport biometric project is out to tender. At the contract stage, my Department will apply fully the range of performance criteria for such projects announced by the Minister for Finance. The project has also been the subject of a peer review process which will provide a further level of detailed examination and verification for such projects.