Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

211. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 9 of 9 October 2014, if his Department has carried out further research to ensure that transparency and accountability were applied at all times in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18260/15]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be aware from my previous response that the information sought is not collected by my Department and would not be collected by contracting authorities as part of a procurement process. Whilst individual contracting authorities in the public and utilities sectors would hold information in relation to contracts awarded by them, they are not required to collect the details of all the shareholders that have invested in a company that has been awarded a public contract.

Public contracts are awarded following a transparent and competitive process conducted in compliance with the National and EU legislation.  The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money. In this regard, all procurements above EU thresholds should be advertised nationally and in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Contracting Authorities are legally responsible for the manner in which they carry out a procurement process. This is because they are in the best position to assess the merits of the tenders that are received as part of any tender process. Contracting Authorities cannot favour or discriminate against particular candidates and there are legal remedies which may be used against any public body infringing these rules.