Written answers
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Department of Finance
Departmental Contracts
9:00 am
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 206: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of contracts held by his Department and its agencies with telecommunication providers; if he will provide details of these contracts including the name of the telecommunication provider and associated financial agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37302/10]
Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The following contracts are held by my Department with telecommunication providers:
| Telecommunication Provider | Type of Service | Financial agreement | Description |
| UPC | Data | Annual | Primary link to Government Networks monitoring system |
| Smart | Data | Monthly | Resilient link to Government Networks monitoring system |
| BT | Data | Monthly | Link for HR Management System Support |
| UPC | Data | Annual | Primary Government Networks core links |
| Broighter | Data | Annual | Resilient Government Networks core links |
| Packet Exchange | Data | Monthly | Internet access for agencies connected to Government Networks |
| Complete/Tiscali | Data | Annual | Internet access for agencies connected to Government Networks |
| Eircom | N/A | N/A | The Department of Finance has put in place a Framework with 4 providers for Fixed Voice and VoIP services. This framework provides public sector specific terms and conditions, and public sector pricing. Agencies can select one of the participants after running a mini procurement competition. |
| Magnet | N/A | N/A | |
| UPC | N/A | N/A | |
| Vodafone | N/A | N/A | |
| O2 | N/A | N/A | The Department of Finance has put in place a Framework with 3 providers for Mobile Voice and Data services (one is currently suspended). This framework provides public sector specific terms and conditions, and public sector pricing. Agencies can select one of the participants after running a mini procurement competition. |
| Vodafone | N/A | N/A | |
| Smart Telecom | Data | Monthly | Resilient link between Government Buildings and Tullamore Office |
| BT Ireland | Data | Monthly | Primary link between Lansdowne House and Tullamore Office |
| BT Ireland | Data | Monthly | Resilient link between Government Buildings and Lansdowne House |
| Complete Networks | Data | Annual | Primary link between Government Buildings and Lansdowne House |
| Eircom | Voice | Quarterly | Voice link between Government Buildings and Lansdowne House |
| Vodafone | Voice | Monthly | Voice telephony services acquired under the Framework agreement above |
| Eircom | Voice | Monthly | Legacy voice telephony in the process of being migrated to Vodafone |
| O2 | Mobile Voice & Data | Monthly | Mobile Voice & Data services acquired under the Framework agreement above |
I have been informed by the bodies under the aegis of my Department that the following contracts are held by the individual agencies with telecommunications providers:
Office of Public Works
| Service Provider | Service provided | Details of the Contract |
| Eircom | Fixed line voice services | Awarded on foot of competitive tendering process. Yearly contracts payable monthly, in arrears, on production of valid invoice. |
| Eircom | Data link services | Awarded on foot of competitive tendering process. Yearly contracts payable monthly, in arrears, on production of valid invoice. |
| Vodafone | Mobile voice & data services | Awarded on foot of competitive tendering process. Yearly contracts payable monthly, in arrears, on production of valid invoice. |
| O2 | Mobile voice & data services | Awarded on foot of competitive tendering process. Yearly contracts payable monthly, in arrears, on production of valid invoice. |
| UPC Communications Ireland Limited | Data link services | Awarded on foot of competitive tendering process. Yearly contracts payable monthly, in arrears, on production of valid invoice. |
| Airspeed Ltd. | Data link services | Awarded on foot of competitive tendering process. Yearly contracts payable monthly, in arrears, on production of valid invoice. |
| Imagine Group Ltd. | Data link services | Awarded on foot of competitive tendering process. Yearly contracts payable monthly, in arrears, on production of valid invoice. |
Office of the Revenue Commissioners
The Office of the Revenue Commissioners have informed me that they have approximately 130 locations countrywide and therefore are heavily reliant on reliable telecommunications for both voice and data traffic. An ongoing programme to modernise is under way which will result in both voice and data traffic using the same lines using a technology called Voice over IP (VoIP). The current list of telecommunications suppliers are listed below and this is subject to constant review and change to meet business needs.
| Supplier | Description of service | Period of Contract |
| Eircom | Leased Lines and call charges | Yearly |
| Vodafone | Blackberry (mobile email) | Yearly |
| Vodafone | Mobile phone call charges | Yearly |
| O2 Communications | 3G Cards (for remote access to Revenue systems) | Yearly |
| O2 Communications | Mobile Phone call charges | Yearly |
| Meteor | SMS rental (text service) | Yearly |
Payments are made in respect of these contracts on foot of valid invoices produced by the service provider
Office of the Appeals Commissioner
| Service provider | Nature of the Service Provided | Period of Contract |
| Eircom | Land lines | Non contract basis |
| Vodafone | Mobile phone call charges | Yearly |
| O2 Communications | Mobile Phone call charges | Yearly |
Payments are made in respect of these contracts on foot of valid invoices produced by the service provider
Commission for Public Service Appointments
| Service provider | Nature of the Service Provided | Period of Contract |
| Eircom | Messaging service. On moving to a new location the Commission for Public Service Appointments required a messaging service to redirect people to their new location | There was once off fee charged for setting up the service. Monthly invoices are received in relation to both line rental and the messaging service |
| Vodafone Ireland | Mobile services for four employees | Charged monthly |
Public Appointments Service
| Service provider | Nature of the Service Provided | Period of Contract |
| Eircom | Landlines | Non contract basis |
| Vodafone Ireland | Mobile services for four employees | Charged monthly |
State Laboratory
| Service provider | Nature of the Service Provided | Period of Contract |
| Eircom | Landlines | Non contract basis |
| Vodafone Ireland | Mobile services for four employees | Non contract basis |
Valuation Office
| Service provider | Nature of the Service Provided | Period of Contract |
| Eircom | Land lines | Non contract basis payment is made at the end of every month. |
| Vodafone | Mobile phones | Payment is made on a monthly basis |
| Vodafone | 30 Mobile Data Cards | Non contract basis paid monthly |
| O2 | 10 Mobile Data Cards | Non contract basis paid monthly |
Office of the Ombudsman
| Service provider | Nature of the Service Provided | Period of Contract |
| Eircom | For provision of internet connectivity and related support. | Annual – Payment made on receipt of valid invoice from the service provider. |
National Treasury Management Agency
Details of the telecommunication providers used by the National Treasury Management Agency. SWIFT related telecommunications provided by the following companies:
| Service provider | Nature of the Service Provided |
| AT&T | 2 two private SWIFT connections on NTMA live site and backup connection at HP Swords ) |
| Eircom | PSTN backup connection at HP Swords |
| Smart Telecom | alternate data links (separate links for essential Dealer internet connectivity and private contractor Internet access) |
Detail of general telecommunications providers are as follows:
| Service provider | Nature of the Service Provided |
| Eircom | 100Mb Links at Treasury Building and Business Continuity Site (integrated into Government Networks with resilient routing) |
| Eircom | Fixed Wireless 2 Mb connection to Dame Court (fail-over wireless Internet services link in case of ground line failure) |
| Complete Network Technologies | 100 Mb link at Treasury Building (integrated into Government Networks) |
| British Telecom | Private Circuit to Business Continuity site at HP Swords (for business continuity, backup/recovery and SWIFT) |
| Vodafone | Mobile Communications |
| Eircom | Fixed Line voice communications |
| Smart Telecom | alternate voice carrier/switchboard number |
| Smart Telecom | alternate data links (separate links for essential Dealer internet connectivity and private contractor Internet access) |
The Special EU Programmes Body
| Service provider | Nature of the Service Provided |
| Vodafone | Mobile UK |
| 02-UK | Mobile UK |
| 02-ROI | Mobile ROI |
| 02 Blackberry | Blackberry (mobile and data) |
| British Telecom | UK Landlines |
| Eircom | ROI Landlines |
| GP Telecom | Free Phone Number |
| BT Internet | Omagh Broadband |
| Bytel Connections | Wide Area Network |
| Eircom | Monaghan Broad Band |
The costs of these services are shared equally between the Department of Finance and the Department of Finance and Personnel Northern Ireland.
The Central Bank of Ireland
The Central Bank of Ireland of Ireland purchase telecommunication services from the following service providers Eircom, British Telecom, Vodafone and O2. Details of the annual spend on Telecommunications and Postage are contained in the annual report of the Central Bank.
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of contracts held by his Department and its agencies with energy providers; if he will to provide details of these contracts including the name of the energy provider and associated financial agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37317/10]
Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The contracts for energy supply of Government Departments, Offices and Agencies are procured by the former Government Supplies Agency (GSA). The National Procurement Service of the Office of Public Works has assumed responsibility for GSA contracts. The contracts put in place by the GSA with energy providers are as follows:
| Supplier | Contract | Date | Contract Value 2008 | Contract Value 2009 | |
| Electricity | ESB.ieEnergia | PS 77 | 01/07/07 | €12,839,433 | €11,814,275 |
| Natural Gas | Bord Gas Eireann | PS 117 | 01/04/07 | €10,013,674 | €6,292,002 |
| LPG | Flo Gas | PS 112 | 01/08/06 | €1,324,716 | €793,446 |
| Liquid FuelsBulk | Topaz | PS 113 | 01/03/07 | €6,791,308 | €4,926,011 |
| Automotive FuelCharge Card | Topaz | PS142 | 01/05/09 | €0 | €3,754,575 |
Supply of energy to central government sites continues through these contracts to date.
All energy contracts are awarded following a competitive tendering process The financial arrangements (procurement model) associated with these contracts are based on discounts from benchmark industry pricing standards.
Competitions for electricity and natural gas frameworks have just concluded and will supersede the existing arrangements.
The Office of Public Works Heritage Service is responsible for some 750 properties and sites across the country ranging from large scale, such as the Dublin Castle complex, to small such as Heywood Gardens, Co. Laois. Where provided each property manages its own energy acquisition. This includes electricity supply from the ESB at standard rates and charges to heating oil and gas procured through the most convenient provider, either local or national. The contract details are maintained locally.
My Department has energy supply to a number of different buildings, and uses electricity supply from both E.S.B. and Energia, gas supply from Bord Gáis and Flogas, and heating oil from Topaz.
I have been informed by the bodies under the aegis of my Department that the following arrangements are in place with various energy providers:
Office of the Revenue Commissioners
The office of the Revenue Commissioners use Airtricity, ESB Independent Energy Ltd., ESB and Energia for electricity supply. The gas requirements are supplied by Bórd Gáis and heating oil is supplied by Texaco/Cheveron.
Contracts for the supply of electricity, gas and oil have now lapsed. The Office of the Revenue Commissioners will be availing of new framework agreements put in place by the National Procurement Service of the Office of Public Works..
Fuel for the Revenue's vehicle fleet is supplied by Topaz under a 3-yer contract which is due to expire in March 2011.
Public Appointments Service
The Public Appointments Service use Bórd Gáis for the heating requirements and the ESB for their electrical needs. They are covered by the terms of the new framework agreements agreed by the Office of Public Works.
State Laboratory
The State Laboratory has contracts with ESB for the supply of power and with Bórd Gáis for heating their requirements. Both contracts were negotiated by the Office of Public Works and payments based on usage, are made monthly within an agreed timeframe.
Valuation Office
The ESB is currently the Valuation Office energy provider. Payment are made upon the receipt of bills outlining cost of usage.
The Office of the Ombudsman
The Office of the Ombudsman has accounts with ESB for the supply of power and with Bórd Gáis for heating their requirements. Contracts in respect of the supply of these services were negotiated by the Office of Public Works and payments based on usage, are made monthly within an agreed timeframe.
Special EU Programmes Body
The Special EU Programmes Body have a contract with Airtricity to supply electricity for it's Belfast and Omagh Offices. Electricity costs are shared on an equal basis by both the Department of Finance and the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland.
The Central Bank of Ireland
The Central Bank of Ireland use the ESB, Energia and Bórd Gáis for their electrical and heating requirements.
The National Management Treasury Agency
The National Treasury Management Agency use Airtricity for their electrical requirements.
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