Written answers

Tuesday, 12 October 2021

Department of An Taoiseach

Departmental Data

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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9. To ask the Taoiseach the number of State boards under the remit of his Department or its agencies in tabular form; the number of members of each board; the number of women on each board; and the percentage of each board that is made up of women. [49568/21]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I appoint members to two state boards – the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) and the National Statistics Board (NSB). Appointments generally fall into three categories - independent members, members nominated by sectoral organisations and ex-officio members (including public servants). I have limited discretion on appointments depending on the category where the vacancy arises. All appointments to the NESC and to the NSB are made in line with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards and on the basis of the relevant legislative provisions.

My Department endeavours to improve gender balance on the NESC and the NSB by requesting nominating bodies and organisations to take account of gender balance when making nominations. My Department will also seek to ensure that the nomination of independent members continues to meet the Government’s gender balance objectives

The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table below.

- Independent Sectoral Nominees Ex Officio Total % Female
M F M F M F M F
National Economic and Social Council 4 3 9 6 4 2 17 11 39.3%
National Statistics Board 0 2 2 1 3 0 5 3 37.5%

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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10. To ask the Taoiseach the number and value of all procurement contracts that took place by way of negotiated procedure without prior publication in 2020 and to date in 2021; and the date, value and purpose of each negotiated procedure contract in tabular form.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49738/21]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department liaises closely with the Office of Government Procurement 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. Regulation 32(2)(c) of the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations S.I 284/2014 provides for the awarding of contracts by way of negotiated procedure without prior publication in certain circumstances, including, for example: where no suitable tenders have been submitted in response to an open or restricted procedure; where competition is absent for technical reasons; and for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by unforeseeable events.

Under the exemptions provided for in Regulation 32(2)(c) my Department awarded two contracts, totalling €135,944 (ex VAT) in 2020 and to date in 2021. Details of these contracts are provided below.

Year Value € Purpose
2020 81,178 Video collaboration and conference systems and associated licences - urgency due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 54,766 Telephony services - no tenders submitted

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 ex VAT threshold which are awarded without a competitive process.

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