Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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4. To ask the Taoiseach the details of contracts of €25,000 or more that have been awarded by his Department or bodies under his aegis that were found to be non-compliant with procurement guidelines in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the value and nature of the contact work carried out in each case; and the year of each contract in tabular form. [11385/21]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department liaises closely with the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) on all matters related to public procurement and monitors all areas of expenditure on an ongoing basis to ensure that value for money is being achieved.

My Department's Finance Unit has not identified the awarding of any non-compliant contracts in 2018 or 2019. Although there is active monitoring of expenditure, the 2020 position cannot be fully confirmed until the finalisation of the Appropriation account for the year and the same will be the case for 2021.

Under Department of Finance Circular 40/02, my Department makes annual returns to the Comptroller and Auditor General in respect of contracts above a €25,000 threshold which are awarded without a competitive process. Contracts awarded without a competitive process are not necessarily non-compliant with procurement guidelines.

During 2018 and 2019, the National Economic and Social Development Office, which is under the aegis of my Department, did not award any contracts over €25,000 that were found to be non-compliant with procurement guidelines. The 2020 position will be confirmed in the Appropriation account.