Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 594: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is confident that all agencies and bodies under his Department's responsibility comply fully with the Department of Finance procurement guidelines for goods and services; if he has sought assurances from the agencies and bodies that this is the case since 2000 to date in 2008; if he has expressed concern to an agency or body that it might be acting inappropriately since 2000 to date in 2008; if so, the agency or body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29161/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies set out in the Department of Finance Guidelines, it is the specific responsibility of the Board of each State Body to ensure that Public Procurement Procedures are implemented at best practice level.

For State Bodies which come under the aegis of my Department, each Chairman is required by this Code to affirm compliance with these procedures in their annual report.

This requirement has been complied with in each of the years 2000 to 2008, with the exception of Coillte, where the current Chairman's statement indicates that Coillte is compliant in most respects with the Code, but that in certain contract situations, unique to the Forestry sector, full compliance has not yet been achieved.