Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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438. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the management and procurement practices in place in the prison service for major building projects in particular procurement, which should be independent and fair to all parties. [1292/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am satisfied that the Irish Prison Service (IPS) is committed to the principles of fair, independent and transparent procurement and achieving value for money, subject to the overriding requirement to ensure that goods and services, including the provision of major building projects, are delivered in a safe and secure manner.

It should also be noted that procurement in the IPS is subject to independent reviews by both the Internal Audit Unit of my Department and the Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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439. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality regarding the Cork Prison construction project if her attention has been drawn to major additions that have been made to the project specifications, which would have been known prior to the construction tender being awarded and planning permission being sought; the reason for the changes in the plans; if she will list the alterations and if they need additional planning permission; if a delay in the completion of the project will result; her views on the matter. [1293/15]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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440. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the tender contract award cost for Cork Prison and the current estimate for completing the contract. [1294/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 440 together.

The New Cork prison project is a design & build project. The contractual construction cost is €33,706,391 excluding VAT.

The current estimate for completing the construction contract is €35.5m (excluding VAT). The only significant addition to the original Cork prison construction project is the inclusion of a purpose built recreation block.

The inclusion of the recreation block was a result of a review of the completed extension to Midlands Prison and detailed consideration of the feedback received from prison management. The Irish Prison Service (IPS) concluded that an insufficient amount of prisoner recreation space was provided for in the Cork prison plans as originally tendered. It was agreed that separate Recreation Halls /Areas on each landing were not adequate for the recreational needs of the proposed prisoner population in the new prison in Cork.

Accordingly, the IPS reviewed the plans for the proposed new Cork Prison in relation to the indoor recreation /amenity space provided for in the exemplar design which had been issued for tender purposes. An information notice was issued in September 2013 informing all of the shortlisted tenderers of an emerging requirement for the construction of a recreation block during the course of the project. The bidders were advised that the recreation block would be called up by way of a change order with the cost being determined in accordance with their submitted rates.

The contract was awarded in December 2013. The design of the recreation block was developed over a period of several weeks and a final design proposal was recommended to the IPS Capital Projects Oversight Board (CPOB) by the IPS Project Team. The recommendation of the Project Team, and costs for the construction of the block were approved by the CPOB in March 2014. As the block was not included in the tender scope of works it has been incorporated into the works by way of a change order. The cost of the recreation block is €1.63m exclusive of VAT.

No additional planning consent was required as the design of the additional recreation block has been developed to ensure it sits in the approved design with no material impact.

The successful bidder has fully incorporated the recreation block into their programme and consequently no delay in the completion of the project should occur due to the inclusion of this requirement. The anticipated duration of the programme is 20 months and the target date for practical completion is July 2015.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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441. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the tender cost and the name of the successful firm which won the consultancy tender to manage the redevelopment of Limerick Prison and the new Cork Prison. [1295/15]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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442. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of companies who tendered for the construction and consultancy contracts for the redevelopment of Limerick Prison and the new Cork Prison. [1296/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 441 and 442 together.

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) issued an Invitation to Tender for Construction Consultancy Services under a Multi Operator Framework in June 2009. The tender documents provided details of the services to be procured, outlined the procurement process, provided details of the evaluation procedure and associated criteria together with the proposed contractual arrangements.

Tenders were received from 34 companies. In December 2009, the IPS entered into multi-operator framework agreements with 6 companies, in accordance with Article 32 of EU Directive 2004/18/EC, for a period of 3 years, with a possible extension, for a further 12 months.

Six consortia were admitted to the Framework.

- Cyril Sweett Ltd

- Scott Wilson

- Rogerson Reddan &Associates

- H Lyons

- Murray O’Laoire Architects

- Clifton Scannell Emerson & Associates

The following contracts for Consultancy Services in relation to the construction of the new Cork Prison and the major re-development of Limerick Prison were awarded following mini tenders, in accordance with the terms of the Multi Operator Framework.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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443. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the full details of the Limerick consultant's tender award including criteria and so on have been published; her views that the tendering process fully complied with the e-tendering criteria, including that the full scope of contract is advertised at tender stage. [1297/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Prison Service issued an Invitation to Tender for Construction Consultancy Services under a Multi Operator Framework in June 2009. The tender documents provided details of the services to be procured, outlined the procurement process, provided details of the evaluation procedure and associated criteria together with the proposed contractual arrangements.

The contract, for the appointment of the Limerick consultants, was awarded following a mini competition from this framework. The process fully complied with etendering criteria and the tender documents included the scope of the redevelopment project as known at that time.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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444. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the figure on which the contracts were awarded on the Cork and Limerick development projects; the amount paid to date to the consultants' firms; and the estimated final payments for both contracts. [1298/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Director General of the Irish Prison Service has advised me in relation to this matter and has supplied me with the following information in relation to the consultants’ contracts awarded for the Cork and Limerick development projects.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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445. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to if a complaint received at the time that the cost of the Limerick consultants tender was abnormally low; and if this has been proved correct. [1299/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed that, in advance of the contract in question being awarded, a request for review of the recommendation of the Irish Prison Service’s (IPS) Tender Evaluation Board was made to my Department as the Sanctioning Authority by an unsuccessful Tenderer.

The review request was dealt with in accordance with the procedures set out in section 9.4 of the Instructions to Tenderers. An independent peer review was carried out by a senior official in my Department.

I can confirm that the independent review concluded that the award of the contract, as recommended by the IPS Tender Evaluation Board, was entirely appropriate and that the issue was considered in a robust, timely and proportionate manner by the Evaluation Board.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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446. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the last occasion on which services for prison building consultants were openly advertised for tender; when the current consultants' and builders' panels were last appointed; if the panels have expired; if so, from what date; if they have been renewed and opened up for competition to the industry. [1300/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I wish to draw the Deputy's attention to Parliamentary Question no 441& 442 of today's date which outlines the required details in respect of the Construction Consultancy Framework.

In December 2009, the Irish Prison Service entered into multi-operator framework agreements with 6 companies, in accordance with Article 32 of EU Directive 2004/18/EC, for a period of 3 years, with a possible extension, for a further 12 months. The Framework Agreement for Consultancy services expired in December 2013.

As it was not anticipated that there would be any major construction projects, other than Cork and Limerick commencing in the immediate future, a decision was taken not to retender for a new framework agreement. However, if requirements change, the IPS will tender for construction consultancy services in compliance with Irish and European procurement requirements and regulations.

In relation to builders’ panels, the Construction Framework panel was appointed in February 2012 for a three year term with the option to extend for a further 12 months.

A separate Small Works Framework, for projects under €250,000 was established in September 2012 for a three year term with the option to extend for a further 12 months.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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447. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a list of all projects and individual items of work awarded to building consultants under the consultants' framework, to firms by the Irish Prison Service over the past three years with the name of each firm, the date of each award and the contract amount in each case. [1301/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I wish to draw the Deputy's attention to Parliamentary Question 441 and 442 of today's date which outlines the required details in respect of the Construction Consultancy Framework.

The following contracts were awarded by the Irish Prison Service to building consultants over the past three years (2012-2014). These contracts were awarded following competitive mini tender competitions in accordance with the terms of the Multi Operator Framework agreement.

Mini competitions from the Consultancy Framework Agreement

Details of Mini Tender Competition	Date of Contract Award	Value	Consultant
New Development at Cork Prison	27 March 2012	€417,000 plus Vat	Sweett Group
Limerick Prison Redevelopment - Feasibility Study	8 March 2012	€12,590 plus Vat	Clifton Scannell Emerson Associates
Refurbishment of Mountjoy A Wing	16 October 2012	€42,565 plus Vat	Sweett Group
On- Site Management of Mountjoy B Wing Refurbishment	7 March 2012	€29,850 plus Vat	Sweett Group
Estates Technical Support	10 June 2013	€89,145 plus Vat	Sweett Group
Redevelopment at Limerick Prison	20 September 2012	€294,880 plus Vat	Rogerson Reddan
Mountjoy Campus	10 June 2013	€228,350 plus Vat	Sweett Group
Portlaoise D Wing Demolition	8 October 2013	€18,702 plus Vat	Sweett Group
Portlaoise E Wing	17 September 2013	€67,612 plus Vat	Sweett Group
Wheatfield Work Training Building	17 September 2013	€20,652 plus Vat	Sweett Group