4272. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total value of non-compliant public procurement identified within his Department and in bodies under the aegis of his Department in 2025 and to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57213/26]

Under the Department of Finance Circular 40/02 Public Procurement Guidelines, my Department makes an annual return to the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) in respect of contracts above the applicable threshold of €25,000 which are awarded without a competitive process. These are detailed in my Department's annual Appropriation Accounts as published by the C&AG at the following link: www.audit.gov.ie/en/publications/appropriation%20accounts/

For 2025 my Department did not award any non compliant procurement contracts, and to date in 2026 no non compliant tender awards have been identified. With regard to achieving effective procurement outcomes, my Department is committed to achieving value for money for the acquisition of goods and services which are essential to support its work. It is Departmental policy that, wherever possible, OGP frameworks are utilised for the procurement of these goods and services.

There are eight agencies under the remit of my Department: Charities Regulator, Western Development Commission, Water Safety Ireland, Pobal, Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, and the Ulster Scots Agency. These agencies are independent legal entities responsible for managing their own corporate affairs, including procurement, in compliance with their statutory obligations and the obligations of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.

Two of these agencies have identified non compliant public procurement undertaken in 2025 and to date in 2026. Údarás na Gaeltachta incurred costs of €741,708 in 2025 and €95,811 in 2026 to date. Foras na Gaeilge incurred costs of €62,471 in 2025 and €16,226 in 2026 to date. This amounts to €916,217 in total, with €804,180 incurred in 2025 and €112,037 in 2026 to date.