Public Procurement Contracts

Tuesday, 14 October 2025

Ceisteanna (374, 377, 378, 379, 381)

Albert Dolan

Ceist:

374. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 353, 354 and 356 of 17 September 2025, the specific statutory or administrative actor who is responsible for monitoring and evidencing compliance with Circular 05/2023 across the public service; and if his Department considers that responsibility rests with each accounting officer; if he will direct accounting officers to provide standardised quarterly compliance attestations and metrics to his Department and the OGP; and if he will place those returns in the Oireachtas Library and Research Service. [55042/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Albert Dolan

Ceist:

377. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will commit to publishing a quarterly compliance dashboard for Circular 05/2023 showing the national compliance rates by obligation and sector; a list of contracting authorities with material non-compliance; the remediation actions and timelines agreed with those bodies and, if not, to set out the reasons. [55046/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Albert Dolan

Ceist:

378. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the escalation and sanction framework available where contracting authorities persistently fail to comply with Circular 05/2023 (e.g. under the public spending code, internal audit, Comptroller and Auditor General observations, or performance agreements with accounting officers); and, if such a framework does not exist, whether he will include one in the forthcoming national public procurement strategy, with a publication timeline. [55047/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Albert Dolan

Ceist:

379. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation further to his reply of 17 September 2025, the way in which the Oireachtas can be assured that Circular 05/2023 is being implemented if his Department does not centrally monitor compliance, if no central compliance statistics are published, and if no escalation pathway is defined; and if he accepts that this constitutes a material oversight gap and the immediate steps he will take to close it. [55048/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Albert Dolan

Ceist:

381. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department will instruct the OGP to introduce an accounting officer compliance certificate (annexed to appropriation accounts) affirming that the Department/Body advertised all contracts at/above Circular 05/2023 thresholds; published all awards €25,000 (including off-platform procurements) on eTenders; and completed all required award-notice fields; and, if not, to set out the reasons. [55050/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation

I propose to take Questions Nos. 374, 377, 378, 379 and 381 together.

I would like to thank the Deputy for his questions.

As the Deputy is aware, it is the legal responsibility of Departments to ensure that they comply with all public procurement requirements. The annual sanction from myself, as the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, to spend public money stipulates that Accounting Officers must have in place appropriate measures to operate in full compliance with all public procurement obligations.

Secretaries General, as Accounting Officers, explicit responsibilities are established by practice and convention, and under legislation, including the Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924, the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act, 1993, and notably the Public Service Management Act 1997. Secretaries General are personally accountable to the Oireachtas, in particular the Committee of Public Accounts, for ensuring compliance with their obligations to public procurement.

The Deputy should note, accountability and governance in respect of public procurement for certain other sectors is also provided for in legislation, for example the Local Government Reform Act, 2014 for Local Authorities, and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Act, 2022 for designated higher education institutions.

My Department issues an annual Appropriation Account Circular, which includes a requirement for Accounting Officers to confirm procurement compliance. This includes confirming appropriate focus on good practice and compliance with the public procurement policy framework.