Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 487: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the information technology purchasing requirements, for both hardware and software, in his Department for the second half of 2006; the requirements for which tender requests have been issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26041/06]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 488: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his Department's information technology purchasing policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26056/06]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 489: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the percentage of information technology spend in his Department that went to Irish SMEs in each year from 2002 to date in 2006; the percentage for European Union and European Economic Area SMEs; if systems are in place in his Department's procurement procedures to give preference to SMEs, such as the weighting system in place in the Local Government Computer Services Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26071/06]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 490: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the average size of information technology procurement contracts in his Department; the median size of such contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26086/06]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 491: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the steps he is taking to support the development of the indigenous software industry through his Department's public procurement process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26101/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 487 to 491, inclusive, together.

All Information Technology purchases, including software, in my Department are made on the basis of appropriate competitive processes under national and EU rules. These rules preclude the giving of preference to any potential supplier on the basis of nationality or enterprise size.

Contracts are awarded following a competitive process and the relevant evaluation criteria are notified in the tender etc. documentation drawn up in respect of each such competition.

My Department does not keep records of supplier data based on nationality or enterprise size.

My Department's Information Technology procurement contracts can vary from year to year in respect of number, type, duration and value of contracts awarded. The estimated Information Technology spend of €1m. for 2006 covers a total of 44 contracts, some 35 of which were awarded before 2006.

Of the 9 new contracts included in the figure, the average size is €25,685; the median size is €11,011.

The Information Technology purchasing requirements for hardware and software for my Department for the second half of 2006 will mainly be for a limited number of PCs, servers, printers and software licences for my Department's new decentralised offices in Tubbercurry. Tender requests been issued in respect of all of these requirements.