Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 569: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department or its agencies has paid in advance for works or services that will not be completed before the end of the 2007 financial year; the reasons for doing so; the amount of the payments; the recipients and the nature of the works or services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34879/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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My Department has paid €300,000 to Tipperary (North Riding) County Council for the provision of roads in connection with the project of rehabilitation of disused mining areas at Silvermines, County Tipperary. This funding arises out of the 2005 Government decision to commence the project, which has not been completed. Tipperary County Council manages the project and a certain level of pre-payment is necessary as the council is not undertaking the work from its own resources.

My information is that other than contracts for the maintenance of equipment or other services, which normally include prepayment terms, my Department does not pay for works or services until after they are delivered. I have nonetheless requested my Department to conduct a review to find out whether there are areas in which payments have been made in advance for works or services that will not be completed before the end of the 2007 financial year and I will, if necessary, revert to the Deputy on the matter.

Payments for works and services by State agencies is a day-to-day operational matter for the agencies and I have no function in that regard.