Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a value for money audit has been carried out on the work undertaken for her Department by private companies (details supplied). [17177/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for administering the health repayment scheme in conjunction with the appointed scheme administrator K.P.M.G. and McCann Fitzgerald.

The HSE has advised my Department that in the normal course of events a Value for Money audit would be carried out on completion of a particular project or assignment of work. The work in relation to the Longstay Repayments Scheme is ongoing at present.

The HSE has also advised my Department that an initial Tender and Procurement Process had been completed and a second Tender and Procurement Process was entered into to create a more competitive market environment, guided by the principle of obtaining value for money for the taxpayer. The HSE has informed my Department that they believe the result of this second Tender and Procurement Process achieved this objective. It is at the discretion of the Comptroller and Auditor General to conduct specific Value For Money audits and this applies to the Repayments Scheme also.