181 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Finance if he will quantify the savings that have been achieved by the national public procurement operations unit since its establishment; the costs it has incurred in doing its work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39872/10]

Since its establishment in April 2009 the National Procurement Service ( formerly known as the National Procurement Operations Unit ) has achieved, in association with Government Departments, Offices and Agencies , savings in the region of €35 million. The total costs incurred by the National Procurement Service during that time were €1,528,000 or 4.37% of the savings achieved.

182 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Finance if the national public procurement operations unit works on behalf of State agencies, other public bodies and local authorities or just Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39873/10]

The National Procurement Service, (formerly known as the National Public Procurement Operations Unit) was established in April 2009 on foot of a Government Decision assigning responsibility for procurement to the Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works. The National Procurement Service (NPS) strategically works on behalf of and with all Government Departments and their agencies (with the exception of commercial semi-state agencies) the Health Service Executive, Local Authorities, Vocational Education Committees and the Higher Education Authority.

The remit of the NPS covers such areas as putting in place centralised framework contracts for common goods and services across the public sector, significant input into the areas of procurement up-skilling and learning as well as responsibility for the efficient operation of the e-Tenders website. Whilst all of the above is significant I should point out that the NPS has limited resources and substantial procurement activity remains the responsibility of those public sector organisations.