James Breen (Clare, Independent)
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Question 353: To ask the Minister for Transport if there is conflict of interest in the mid-term review of the national car testing services by PricewaterhouseCoopers noting the fact that this company provided the consultancy advice for setting up this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12984/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The decision concerning the arrangements for implementing Directive 96/96/EC on compulsory periodic roadworthiness testing of passenger cars to be carried out by a single service provider was made by the Government. Following that decision, PricewaterhouseCoopers, PwC, was engaged following a public procurement process to advise my Department on the tender process and the selection of a preferred contractor for the operation of the service.

The mid-term review of the car testing service is provided for in the project agreement contract between the Minister and National Car Testing Service Limited, NCTS. The purpose of the mid-term review is to review in detail the performance of NCTS, and to assess a range of strategic issues including the location and numbers of test centres, the content of the test and the quality of the service provided by NCTS, and the responses to a public consultation process on the review. The review does not involve consideration of a change in the model of service provision nor whether the contract should be renewed or extended. PwC is assisting my Department in carrying out the mid-term review and was employed following a separate public procurement process. The aforementioned works undertaken by PwC for my Department were entirely separate from one another and do not give rise to a conflict of interest.