Written answers

Thursday, 25 November 2010

Department of Finance

Departmental Expenditure

5:00 pm

Photo of Lucinda CreightonLucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 91: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to recent freedom of information developments in the United Kingdom where all expenditure for Government departments over £25,000 will be published online and all published data will be updated every month; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it is the intention of the British Government to invite persons and organisations to scrutinise this data for commercial purposes and for the purposes of allowing companies to offer to undercut their competitors who are already providing services to the British Government; his views on whether it is an excellent way for taxpayers to hold their Government to account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44678/10]

Photo of Brian Lenihan JnrBrian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I understand that the Freedom of Information Act in the UK requires public authorities to have an approved publication scheme in place which is a means of providing access to information which an authority proactively publishes. This scheme covers amongst other things financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, tendering, procurement and contracts. In Ireland aggregate expenditure information for each Department is published each month, broken down by current and capital spending, to show the level of Exchequer funding actually drawn down, as against the profiled amount of expenditure for each month as published earlier in the year.

As regards transparency and competition, my Department has set up a website www.etenders.gov.ie on which contracts for supplies and services over 25,000 euro (recently reduced from 50,000 euro) and works contracts over 50,000 euro must be advertised in a public tendering process. For some years now, the site has been well established as the national reference point for public procurement opportunities. As well as ensuring transparency and competition, the site facilitates wide participation in the public procurement function, for example, by issuing email alerts directly to registered suppliers when contracts that might be of interest to them are advertised and making tender documentation available for direct downloading with advertised contracts. This website demonstrates the Government strong commitment to ensuring transparency in procurement processes and securing best value for the Irish taxpayer.

Furthermore as a matter of practice all state bodies are encouraged to and do place ever increasing amounts of information and data out into the public domain via web based and other communication technologies.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.