Ahern pledges response to report

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday pledged to move quickly to implement all 12 recommendations contained in yesterday’s report into the circumstances surrounding the appointment of Monica Leech by Transport Minister Martin Cullen.

The central finding of Dermot Quigley’s report centred on the fact that the suggestion by a minister that a particular firm or person be given a contract risked the perception that there was some form of impropriety at play. To counter such a perception arising in future, the detailed report recommended the Taoiseach’s Department should issue advice to ministers on all consultancy contracts, particularly if a minister is seeking additional PR or communications expertise.

Crucially it is recommended accounting officers should be advised and adequate documentation kept in any case where a minister personally suggests a person in relation to a contract.

Heeding the advice of Mr Quigley, the Taoiseach yesterday indicated he would immediately seek to establish a three-member group within his department to vet any press or PR contracts sought by ministers and ministers of state.

“I’ll move on that quickly and I’ll also move straight away on the other recommendations of the report,” he said. “In politics, perception and confidence are important and I want, as far as possible, to ensure that not only the contract is awarded properly but they are seen and believed to be awarded correctly too.”

Significantly the Leech report also calls for a complete review by the Government Contracts Committee in the Department of Finance of the guidelines for the hiring of consultants.

That review is to focus in particular on the use of single tendering in urgent cases - a matter of considerable controversy in the Leech saga.

Measures to ensure work completed under contract is properly monitored and assessed, as well as more stringent methods of assessing the value of projects, are also recommended.

In addition to the Department of Finance review, Mr Quigley has advised that Mr Cullen’s former department, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, should also update its internal procurement systems.