Vol. 485 No. 2
200 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department has received money under the Community Support Framework; the underspendings of allocated funds, if any, there have been under the Community Support Framework in the areas for which his Department is responsible; if a report giving details of the reasons for underspending has been prepared for the monitoring committee; and, if so, if he will publish this report. [22649/97]
201 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the measures, if any, which are being taken to increase cost recovery or provide for more competition in the delivery of services in accordance with a decision taken in the context of the mid-term review of Structural Funds in relation to funds received by his Department, or bodies under the aegis of his Department, from the European Structural Funds; and, if so, the specific new measures, if any, which are being undertaken for this purpose. [22664/97]
202 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he will take to improve the quality of cost benefit analyses in relation to funds received by his Department or by bodies under the aegis of his Department under the Community Support Framework in view of the criticisms of the quality of some cost benefit analysis arising during the mid-term review of the Structural Funds. [22681/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 200, 201 and 202 together.
My Department receives funds under the Community Support Framework for the training of people with disabilities, under the human resources operational programme (HROP), and for the Tallaght Hospital building project.
1. Training of People with Disabilities
These funds are targeted at the training of people with disabilities and are allocated over the six years of the programme (1994 to 1999). As with any complex programme from time to time various alterations in planned expenditure are introduced to ensure efficacy. Any deferrals concerning the scheduling of expenditures are reported to the monitoring committee of the HROP (on which my Department is represented) for its consideration and approval.
The National Rehabilitation Board monitors, co-ordinates and disburses European Social Funds allocated under the HROP to my Department. These funds are channelled through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Health boards co-ordinate and disburse the European Regional Development Funds allocated under the HROP to my Department; these are channelled through the Department of Finance.
The delivery of training for people with disabilities under the HROP is provided by specialised agencies. Both the NRB and the health boards have procedures in place to co-ordinate the expenditure of funds in an efficient and effective manner. The analysis of the benefit or outcome of expenditure under the OP is ongoing and forms part of the co-ordination of activities funded under the programme.
It is my understanding that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment intend to report to the monitoring committee as soon as possible, the scope for implementing changes in pursuit of greater cost recovery and for more competition in the delivery of services in the HROP.
2. Tallaght Hospital
The Tallaght Hospital building project is supported by CSF funding, via the Department of Finance. Tenders were sought using single stage restricted tender procedures. The process was subject to, and complied with, the relevant European Union Directives.
Effective and efficient procedures are employed to control the costs of the project through to final completion.
