Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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465. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if framework-based procurement is included in his Department’s reporting of “tendered” procurement in its annual accounts; if so, to distinguish between contracts awarded via framework mini-competition, contracts awarded via direct drawdown from a framework without competition and frameworks run independently by his Department versus those centrally established by the Office of Government Procurement; and to provide the value of procurement for each such category in the past three years. [27024/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Public procurement is governed by EU and national rules and my Department ensures that appropriate procedures are followed for procurement activity. Departments are obliged to ensure that public procurement is discharged in line with the standard accounting and procurement rules and that contract prices represent best value for money.

Public procurement practices are subject to audit and scrutiny under the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993. Procurement is also subject to internal audit within my Department.

Under Department of Finance Circular 40/02, my Department makes an annual return to the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) in respect of contracts above the applicable threshold which are awarded without a competitive process. This requirement applies to all procurement. These are detailed in my Department's annual Appropriation Accounts as published by the C&AG, and is subject to scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee.

While not being called out as a specific category, I can assure the Deputy that any uncompetitive procurements relating to a framework would have been reported as part of this process. My Department’s 2024 submission was submitted to the Comptroller and Auditor General earlier this year, with the 2022 and 2023 accounts accessible on the Comptroller and Auditor General’s website.

Separate to reporting under Circular 40/02, the Deputy will be aware that Circular 09/24 sets out a new annual reporting requirement relating to the use of centralised procurement arrangements including Office of Government Procurement (OGP) frameworks. The report will identify any contracts for goods or services, valued more than €143,000 (exclusive of VAT), where a central procurement arrangement has not been used. My Department is currently preparing its 2024 return for submission to the OGP in advance of the reporting deadline of 1 July 2025.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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466. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide a list of all framework agreements used by his Department or its agencies since 2022, by name and description of framework; if it was established by his Department, the OGP, or another central/sectoral body; if it is a single-supplier or multi-supplier framework; if drawdowns required mini-competitions; and the total number of contracts and aggregate value of payments made under each framework agreement, by year. [27042/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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467. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if all drawdowns from frameworks by his Department or its agencies from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2024, valued over €25,000 were accompanied by publication of a contract award notice on the eTenders portal as required by Circular 05/2023; and if not, to list any known contracts where such publication did not occur and the reason. [27060/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 466 and 467 together.

It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy in due course.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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468. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to the use of centralised or sectoral procurement frameworks, to list the top ten frameworks, by value of payments drawn down in 2022,2023,2024, the associated category for example, temporary staff, consultancy and IT support, the value of payments per framework and any known framework expiry or extension in progress. [27071/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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It has not been possible to collate the information requested in the time available. I will write to the Deputy in due course.