The Chamber of Commerce has repeated its call for a reform of public procurement processes in the wake of the Audit Office report into a multi-million euro contract at St Vincent de Paul Home. 

The Audit Office said at the end of last month that a €274 million contract to build and operate residential blocks and a kitchen at the home for the elderly was irregular and the entire deal could be deemed invalid.  

The Chamber said there was need for full transparency, good governance and an equal playing field in public procurement. 

"As public procurement accounts for a substantial portion of the taxpayers’ money, governments are expected to carry it out efficiently and with high standards of conduct to ensure high quality of service delivery and safeguard the public interest," the chamber said. 

Earlier this year, issued a Report on Public Procurement Reform listing 35 recommendations to ensure that the procurement process promotes ethical business and that the process is free from impropriety.

Proposals included:

  • The mandatory publication of a procurement outlook every six months in advance;
  • The implementation of a public Contract Register which would also minute all modifications post-award;
  • The widening of the scope of PCRB’s competence to include a scrutiny of all direct orders.

 

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