Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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350. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 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. [27029/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to achieving value for money in the procurement of goods and services essential to support its work in providing high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner. Accordingly, my Department engages fully with initiatives of the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) focusing especially on achieving savings, including the use of shared framework agreements for a range of supplies and service, where applicable.

Framework based procurement is does not form a part of the Appropriation Account template, which is set annually by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery, and Reform.

However, under Circular 09/2024, which came into effect on 14th June 2024, public bodies will be obliged to report on all contracts exceeding €143,000 (ex VAT) and to indicate whether Centralised Procurement Arrangements were used or not. July 1st 2025 is the deadline for the first annual return, which will refer to 2024 spend, and it is my understanding that the OGP will publish the final findings.

My Department operates a number of controls and procedures in relation to procurement and contracts largely informed by Public Procurement Guidelines published by the OGP which performs a key role in helping the State to save money when buying goods and services.

The purpose of these guidelines is to promote best practice and consistency of application by Government Departments and State Bodies in relation to the purchase of goods and services, using the guiding principles of transparency and openness of competition. These guidelines are available to all staff in my Department and the OGP hold regular information sessions and workshops which are regularly attended by officers in my Department. The OGP also operates procurement frameworks designed for low to medium-risk goods and services which are availed of by my Department where appropriate.

Contracts in excess of €50,000 (ex VAT) are advertised through the EU tenders website and are subject to EU Directives 2014/23, 2014/24, and 2014/25. Such contracts are also subject to Government Circular 05/2023 which provides for greater use of existing OGP frameworks, amongst other measures.

By way of additional internal controls in my Department, all contracts in excess of €25,000 (ex VAT), and contracts of a consultancy nature regardless of value, are subject to approval by my Department’s Management Board before any competitive or selection process commences. This is followed up by a formal process which underlines the final value and expiry date of the contract, the latter being monitored on an ongoing basis. In addition, a quarterly report issues to all staff showing vendors paid over €25,000 (ex VAT), for sign off and agreement at senior official level. There are also area-specific monthly transaction reports issued for similar sign off. Purchase orders in excess of €20,000 (inc. VAT) are submitted to the Management Board and published quarterly online.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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351. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 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. [27047/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to achieving value for money in the procurement of goods and services essential to support its work in providing high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner. Accordingly, my Department engages fully with initiatives of the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) focusing especially on achieving savings, including the use of shared framework agreements for a range of supplies and service, where applicable.

While my Department avails of frameworks, particularly with regard to utilities and ICT functions, we do not differentiate between open tender processes and frameworks with regard to spend. A such, we do not have a distinct list of all framework agreements used by my Department since 2022, details of the framework agreements used, nor aggregate value of payments made specifically under frameworks agreements.

However, under Circular 09/2024, which came into effect on 14th June 2024, public bodies will be obliged to report on all contracts exceeding €143,000 (ex VAT) and to indicate whether Centralised Procurement Arrangements were used or not. July 1st 2025 is the deadline for the first annual return, which will refer to 2024 spend, and it is my understanding that the OGP will publish the final findings.

My Department operates a number of controls and procedures in relation to procurement and contracts largely informed by Public Procurement Guidelines published by the OGP which performs a key role in helping the State to save money when buying goods and services.

The purpose of these guidelines is to promote best practice and consistency of application by Government Departments and State Bodies in relation to the purchase of goods and services, using the guiding principles of transparency and openness of competition. These guidelines are available to all staff in my Department and the OGP hold regular information sessions and workshops which are regularly attended by officers in my Department. The OGP also operates procurement frameworks designed for low to medium-risk goods and services which are availed of by my Department where appropriate.

Contracts in excess of €50,000 (ex VAT) are advertised through the EU tenders website and are subject to EU Directives 2014/23, 2014/24, and 2014/25. Such contracts are also subject to Government Circular 05/2023 which provides for greater use of existing OGP frameworks, among other measures.

By way of additional internal controls in my Department, all contracts in excess of €25,000 (ex VAT), and contracts of a consultancy nature regardless of value, are subject to approval by my Department’s Management Board before any competitive or selection process commences. This is followed up by a formal process which underlines the final value and expiry date of the contract, the latter being monitored on an ongoing basis. In addition, a quarterly report issues to all staff showing vendors paid over €25,000 (ex VAT), for sign off and agreement at senior official level. There are also area-specific monthly transaction reports issued for similar sign off. Purchase orders in excess of €20,000 (inc. VAT) are submitted to the Management Board and published quarterly online.

In terms of the agencies, the management of contracts and related payments are a day-to-day operational matter in which I, as Minister, have no role.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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352. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 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. [27065/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to achieving value for money in the procurement of goods and services essential to support its work in providing high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner. Accordingly, my Department engages fully with initiatives of the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) focusing especially on achieving savings, including the use of shared framework agreements for a range of supplies and service, where applicable.

My Department operates a number of controls and procedures in relation to procurement and contracts largely informed by Public Procurement Guidelines published by the OGP which performs a key role in helping the State to save money when buying goods and services. This includes Circular 05/23, which came into effect in March 2023.

The purpose of these guidelines is to promote best practice and consistency of application by Government Departments and State Bodies in relation to the purchase of goods and services, using the guiding principles of transparency and openness of competition. These guidelines are available to all staff in my Department and the OGP hold regular information sessions and workshops which are regularly attended by officers in my Department. The OGP also operates procurement frameworks designed for low to medium-risk goods and services which are availed of by my Department where appropriate.

With regard to contract award notices on drawdowns from frameworks by my Department from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2024, I will revert to the Deputy with this detail shortly.

In terms of the agencies, the management of contracts and related payments are a day-to-day operational matter in which I, as Minister, have no role.