Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 June 2025
616. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has a designated head of procurement; if each agency or public body under his Department’s remit also has a designated head of procurement; and if so, to list those entities, along with the name or grade of the person holding that role. [33645/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra617. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of staff within his Department and its agencies who hold a formal procurement qualification or certification (for example, CIPS, NFQ Level 6 or higher in procurement, EU public procurement training), broken down by organisation, in tabular form. [33663/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra618. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department and each agency or public body under its remit uses a formal contract management system or procurement tracking platform; to list the systems in use; and if they are centrally monitored or independently operated. [33681/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 616, 617 and 618 together.
My Department has a designated qualified Head of Procurement who is a Principal Officer and I am informed that seven staff members in the Procurement Unit also hold formal procurement qualifications. These qualifications include; Certificate in Public Procurement from the Institute of Public Administration, and Advanced Diploma in Public Procurement Law from King’s Inns.
In addition, Procurement Unit staff hold ancillary / related qualifications at NFQ levels eight and nine in Business, Business Administration, Computer Science, Project Management and Strategic Management. Staff involved in procurement throughout the Department also regularly attend Office of Government Procurement (OGP) information and training sessions.
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.
My Department and its aegis bodies use the Irish Government’s procurement portal, ‘eTenders’ (www.etenders.gov.ie), to conduct procurement competitions for all goods and services over €50,000. This platform is the responsibility of the OGP.
eTenders tracks the following parts of the procurement process:
• Advertising including Pre-Market Consultation (as appropriate).
• Publication of tender documentation.
• Management of clarifications.
• Receipt of tenders.
• Secure and formal tender response opening procedure.
• Management of contract award letters and award notices.
For procurements below the €50,000 threshold, the Department and bodies under its remit comply with OGP guidelines which are provided in its publication ‘Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services’. This document is available on the OGP website.
My Department utilises its own internal Supplier Agreement Database to assist with the management of procurement contracts. This system is designed to:
• Capture details of contracts in place across the Department.
• Send alerts on upcoming contract expiry dates; and
• Provide data for reports.
Independent bodies under the aegis of my Department may also record information relating to their contracts on their relevant information systems. For the most part these systems are independently operated. I am informed that Forensic Science Ireland, Legal Services Regulatory Authority, Policing and Community Safety Authority, Legal Aid Board and Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland use their own independently operated contract tracking platforms.
The table below shows details of the designated heads of procurement in aegis bodies under the remit of my Department. Smaller bodies may not have a designated head of procurement and rely on advice from their own experienced internal staff, my Department’s Procurement Unit and the Office of Government Procurement (OGP).
|
Agency/Body |
Head of Procurement – Grade of Officer |
|
Agency/Body |
Head of Procurement – Grade of Officer |
|
Courts Service of Ireland |
Higher Executive Officer |
|
Data Protection Commission |
Assistant Principal Officer |
|
Fiosrú |
Assistant Principal Officer |
|
Forensic Science Ireland |
Forensic Scientist – Grade 1 |
|
Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland |
Assistant Principal Officer |
|
Irish Prison Service |
Principal Officer |
|
Insolvency Service of Ireland |
Assistant Principal Officer |
|
Legal Services Regulatory Authority |
Assistant Principal Officer |
|
Parole Board |
Higher Executive Officer |
|
Property Services Regulatory Authority |
Assistant Principal Officer |
|
Policing and Community Safety Authority |
Assistant Principal Officer |
|
Private Security Authority |
Assistant Principal Officer |
Further to this, listed below are agencies under my Department’s aegis whose staff hold procurement qualifications of NFQ Level six or above. It has not been possible to provide a breakdown of the number of staff in agencies with these qualifications.
|
Body/Agency |
|
|
Courts Service of Ireland |
|
|
Criminal Assets Bureau |
|
|
Data Protection Commission |
|
|
Fiosrú |
|
|
Forensic Science Ireland |
|
|
Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland |
|
|
Irish Prison Service |
|
|
Insolvency Service of Ireland |
|
|
Legal Services Regulatory Authority |
|
|
Property Services Regulatory Authority |
I am informed that it has not been possible for An Garda Síochána to collate the information requested in the timeframe provided. Once this information is available, I will forward it to the Deputy directly.
