315. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is satisfied that his Department has an effective high level of oversight on the procurement processes and public accountability relative to the local authorities and agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40601/26]

I do not have direct involvement in executive functions of Local Authorities and State Bodies under the aegis of my Department.

Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, the Chief Executive is responsible for the executive functions of the local authority. This includes general management, administration and day to day running of the local authority, subject to law.

Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions and the discharge of their governance and other responsibilities. Procurement and tendering processes carried out by each local authority, and compliance with procurement rules in relation to the same, are directly a matter for the relevant Chief Executive.

Local Authorities may be contacted directly, and contact information is available at the following link: www.localgov.ie/find-my-local-authority?county=70.

The Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies requires that bodies comply with relevant provisions pertaining to procurement. My Department undertakes an annual exercise examining State bodies' compliance with the Code, including in respect of procurement matters. The Department also has oversight agreements in place with the State bodies, which include provisions requiring compliance with public procurement guidelines.

The Chairperson's Comprehensive Report to the Minister, also required under the Code, obliges Chairpersons of the relevant State bodies to confirm adherence to relevant procurement policy and procedures.

It is noted that state bodies under the aegis of my Department are independent in the performance of their functions and arrangements have been put in place by the bodies to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email addresses are set out in table 1.

Table 1.