Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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564. To ask the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 304 of 11 February 2014, in relation to amounts and other details to do with external contracts and procurement and further to the answer she provided to Parliamentary Question No. 115 of 12 March 2014 seeking the same information, if she will provide an explanation for the difference between both of approximately €14 million and the way some amounts and recipients are absent from one answer to the other; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14102/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I always endeavour to be helpful in relation to the information provided in answers to Parliamentary Questions and to ensure that the response addresses the specific question raised. I would point out to the Deputy that the information sought in the Parliamentary Questions referred to was not the same and, accordingly, there were significant differences in the details supplied in the answers and the total amounts of money referred to therein.

The major difference is that Parliamentary Question No. 304 (PQ 6461/14) of 11 February 2014 asked me to provide details in relation to contracts awarded since May 2011. Parliamentary Question No. 115 (PQ 12586/14) of 13 March 2014 requested details of payments made since February 2011. The responses provided were responses appropriate to the details sought.

Some of the apparent difference also relates to the specific request in the first PQ for the full value of certain contracts, i.e. those put in place since May 2011, compared to the request for amounts paid in a given period, i.e. since February 2011, in the second PQ.

In addition, there are a number of recipients listed on PQ 12586/14 that are not included on PQ 6461/14 as the relevant contracts were awarded prior to May 2011. For example, the contract value for the General Register Office (GRO) maintenance & development project awarded in 2010, and the contract value for SDM (Service Delivery Modernisation) support and maintenance awarded in 2008 are not included in PQ 6461/14. However payments made since February 2011 in relation to these contracts totalling some €11 million are included in PQ 12586/14. Full details of the constituent elements of the two responses are included in the following tables.

I am satisfied that the engagement of consultants and external service providers contributes to decision making and policy formulation, and provides valuable support for the Department’s service delivery modernisation and reform programmes, and that procurement of consultants and external service providers is compliant with best practice in procurement, governance and realising value for money.