Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 406: 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). [37900/09]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 468: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the length of time private companies (details supplied) have been working for her Department pursuant to an act; and the estimated time frame of the completion of their work. [38321/09]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 469: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of claims, fully processed but not awarded under a scheme pursuant to an act (details supplied) on a county basis in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38322/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 406, 468 and 469 together.

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.

A Value for Money audit would normally be carried out on completion of a particular project or assignment of work. The work in relation to the health repayments scheme is ongoing at present.

The HSE has 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 result of this second Tender and Procurement Process achieved this objective. The scheme has been audited by the HSE internal audit team, the Comptroller and Auditor General and by an external auditing firm. 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.

KPMG and McCann FitzGerald have been employed by the HSE since August 2006. Their work is almost complete with less than 1% of claims outstanding and these will be concluded over the next number of weeks. However it is expected that there will be ongoing involvement of the Scheme Administrator until all of the Appeals have been determined.

The number of claims offered but not accepted (237) by county are as follows: