Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 765: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the budget available to his Department for information technology, IT, expenditure in 2010 and 2011; the provisions within his Department for the purchasing of IT equipment; the efforts that are being undertaken to ensure value for money and cost reductions in this regard; if there are budgets and procedures in place for the purchasing of IT equipment for each State agency under his remit for 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23438/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The IT expenditure budget allocation for my Department in 2010 was €22,379,200 and in 2011 was €21,079,505. My Department provides a robust and resilient ICT infrastructure to customers, staff, agents and partners including shared service offerings to state agencies and other Government Departments. It also supports a wide range of modern and efficient IT systems that underpin the Department's critical business processes. Savings are achieved on an ongoing basis by leveraging maximum value from existing investments, negotiating reductions on contracts and software licences, and careful management of external resources for software development.

My Department ensures that all public procurement procedures in relation to IT equipment, as outlined by the Department of Finance, are adhered to during the procurement process. As part of these processes every effort is undertaken to ensure value for money and achieve cost reductions. IT expenditure is based on competitive tendering with extensive use of Central Government and Department specific frameworks which continue to drive costs down. As part of the Croke Park Agreement, a 5% saving in ICT expenditure will be achieved in each year from 2012 to 2014. In relation to agencies under the aegis of my Department, the budgets and procedures in place for the purchasing of IT equipment for each State agency is an operational matter for the agencies themselves.

In order to provide the Government with a comprehensive set of decision options to meet the funding constraints in the National Recovery Plan, 2012-2014, the Department has carried out a comprehensive review of both current and capital expenditure. This Review which covers all areas of the Department's activities will be considered as part of the overall pre-budget deliberations and the 2012 Estimates process of the Government.