Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide the following information in relation to IT consultants and IT external resources contracted to undertake IT related work for the Revenue Commissioners, the total number and names of companies working on such projects in the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; the number of persons supplied by these companies to work on such projects in the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; the amount paid to each company for these services in the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; the invoicing contract payment mechanism used, if it is by hour, by project, by person or by a combination of these mechanisms; the verification mechanisms in place to ensure that the invoicing/contract payment mechanisms reflect work actually carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55599/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the total number and names of companies working on IT related work in the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 along with details of the amounts paid to the companies, and the payment basis used, are set out in the following tables. Where the work was undertaken on a “per person per day” basis, details of the number of persons engaged are not available in the time permitted. Information regarding the number of persons engaged is not available where companies were engaged to deliver a specific body of work or project. It should also be noted that the amount paid may not relate to work done solely in that particular year e.g. some work delivered in 2009 may not have been paid until 2010.

The work undertaken by external resources is supervised and authorised by Revenue managers. Payments in respect of resources working on per diem rates are based on the work-days reported by the relevant Revenue managers. Payments in respect of project work are based on invoices certified by the relevant Revenue managers. External resources working in Revenue are obliged to adhere to the Revenue Delivery Method (RDM) which is a comprehensive guide to the activities required to deliver high-value ICT solutions and services for Revenue. It provides Revenue ICT teams with proven processes, deliverables and techniques that enable them to define what to do and how to do it.

Expenditure on external IT resources is required by Revenue to engage computer experts to develop, support and maintain critical IT projects, such as Integrated Taxpayer Processing and Revenue On-Line Services. The software developments that result from such expenditure are tangible assets and are recognised as such in Revenue's Annual Appropriation Account. Contracts are awarded following appropriate Request for Tender procedures.