Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
570. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether for procurement spend, a purchase order can be raised within his Department's financial management systems without reference to a contract, framework agreement, procurement process or other authorising arrangement; if so, the circumstances in which this may occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45168/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra571. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether an invoice can be paid by his Department without an associated purchase order having first been raised; if so, the circumstances in which this may occur; the number and value of payments made during quarter one of 2026 which were not associated with a purchase order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45186/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 570 and 571 together.
Purchase orders can be raised within my Department's financial management systems without reference to a contract, framework agreement, procurement process or other authorising arrangement, and invoices can be paid without a purchase order having been raised.
At present, purchase orders are used by only a small number of business units within the Department. Of the 4,820 invoices paid in the first quarter of this year, 4,684 were not linked to a purchase order. The value of invoiced payments made in the first quarter of 2026 that were not associated with a purchase order was €12,547,016.
It is important to note that procurement expenditure accounts for less than 1% of the Department’s overall spending. Accordingly, the introduction of a purchase order system would confer only limited benefits in terms of enhanced visibility of upcoming expenditure. Nevertheless, the Department will examine the wider introduction of purchase orders as part of its transition to the NSSO Financial Management Shared Services system.
