I propose to take Questions Nos. 682, 683 and 690 together.
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.
My Department’s policy and practise to use national procurement frameworks where they are available, including for external interpretation and translation services. The use of these frameworks helps to ensure that the aggregate purchasing power of the State is utilised to achieve value for money outcomes.
My Department uses the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) Framework for Multi-Language Interpretation services. As stated in the OGP documentation for this framework, suppliers were chosen after an extensive quality of service evaluation carried out by a team of experienced interpretation services experts from across the public sector.
Operational matters regarding the management of interpreters in court, including payment and training and the introduction and provision of quality assurance processes to assess interpreter performance is a matter for the Courts Service. As Minister, I have no role in these matters.
I can confirm that my Department has not engaged the services of the Association of Translators and Interpreters Ireland during the time period specified. I am informed that the agencies under the aegis of my Department have also not engaged this company.
Details of my Department and its agencies’ expenditure on the services of Translation.ie are provided in the below tables.
I am informed that it has not been possible for An Garda Síochána or the Probation Service to supply the information requested within the timeline provided. I will forward this information directly to the Deputy when it is available.
Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
|
Year
|
Expenditure
|
|
2020
|
€154
|
|
2021
|
€406
|
|
2022
|
€2,726
|
|
2023
|
€2,990
|
|
2024
|
€110,060
|
|
2025*
|
€142,322
|
|
Total
|
€258,659
|
Courts Service of Ireland
|
Year
|
Expenditure
|
|
2020
|
€1,092,436
|
|
2021
|
€1,535,283
|
|
2022
|
€1,929,591
|
|
2023
|
€2,083,969
|
|
2024
|
€3,456,121
|
|
2025*
|
€3,795,711
|
|
Total
|
€13,893,112
|
Legal Aid Board
|
Year
|
Expenditure
|
|
2020
|
€300,572
|
|
2021
|
€158,775
|
|
2022
|
€647,064
|
|
2023
|
€1,243,541
|
|
2024
|
€418,772
|
|
2025*
|
€9,551
|
|
Total
|
€2,778,275
|
Fiosrú
|
Year
|
Expenditure
|
|
2020
|
€0
|
|
2021
|
€0
|
|
2022
|
€0
|
|
2023
|
€0
|
|
2024
|
€0
|
|
2025*
|
€553
|
|
Total
|
€553
|
Irish Prison Service
|
Year
|
Expenditure
|
|
2020
|
€4,972
|
|
2021
|
€906
|
|
2022
|
€0
|
|
2023
|
€0
|
|
2024
|
€0
|
|
2025*
|
€0
|
|
Total
|
€5,879
|
Parole Board
|
Year
|
Expenditure
|
|
2020
|
€0
|
|
2021
|
€0
|
|
2022
|
€0
|
|
2023
|
€346
|
|
2024
|
€282
|
|
2025*
|
€713
|
|
Total
|
€1,342
|
*To 01/11/2025