Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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212. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has been informed by the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission that the recent public tender for the recording, broadcasting and archival services for Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann closed on 10 October 2025 without receiving any valid tenders; the total estimated contract value; and his views on the implications for service continuity and expenditure oversight. [60784/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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213. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department will review procurement guidelines and contract design in respect of the Houses of the Oireachtas Service to ensure future tenders attract sufficient competition; and his views on lessons learned from this tender process. [60787/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 213 together.

Public Procurement is governed by EU legislation and national rules/guidelines. EU Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement (goods, services and works) has been transposed into Irish Law in the form of corresponding Regulations - S.I. No. 284/2016 - European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts). My Department has published the Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services to provide a comprehensive interpretation of this legal code, to serve as national rules, and to improve consistency and promote best practice in the application of these rules.

My Department also publishes information notes to assist contracting authorities and public buyers in further promoting better procurement practice in their organisations. A specific example is guidance on preliminary market consultations. These notes are hosted on the Office of Government Procurement website.

Contracting authorities are encouraged to consider undertaking preliminary market consultation prior to tendering in order to better understand the market including the range of goods and services available, market developments, what commercial models are available, the competitive landscape, and the specific capabilities of SMEs.

My Department has made available a suite of template tender and contract documents, developed in conjunction with the Office of the Chief State Solicitor. These documents are dynamic in structure and allow individual contracting authorities include additional terms and conditions appropriate to their competition. It is a matter for individual contracting authorities to ensure that the appropriate terms and conditions apply to their procurement competition.

My Department has no role in the audit and scrutiny of the procurement practices of public sector bodies. Individual Accounting Officers are responsible for ensuring that their public procurement functions are discharged in line with the standard accounting and procurement rules and procedures and are publicly accountable for expenditure incurred. Individual contracting authorities are responsible for establishing arrangements for ensuring the proper conduct of their affairs, including conformance to standards of good governance and accountability regarding procurement.