Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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598. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of State contracts that were not awarded to the lowest tender or bid in each year since 2011 to date in his Department or bodies under the aegis of his Department; the reason the lowest tender or bid was not chosen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8806/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The question, as I understand it, relates to all tenders of €500,000 or over.

The Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017, and to date has not awarded any contracts valued at €500,000 or above.

The Department complies with the relevant Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) procedures and guidance on procurement. The guidance provides for contracts to be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender, where this is decided upon objective grounds. This is equally applicable to all tenders and strictly related to the subject matter of the contract.

With respect to bodies under the aegis of my Department, we are currently collating that information and will respond directly to the Deputy when that process is complete.