Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1997 > Committee of Public Accounts > Report No. 02 - Value for Money Examinations

LIST OF APPENDICES

1.Follow-up correspondence from the Department of Justice in relation to the Committee’s examination of the Value for Money report on Garda Transport (see First Report on VFM Examinations).

2.Progress report from the Department of Finance following the Committee’s examination of the Value for Money report on Telephone Management in the Civil Service (see First Report on VFM Examinations).

3.Correspondence from (i) Department of Finance and (ii) Department of the Environment arising from the examination of the Value for Money report on Regional Development Measures.

4.Correspondence from (i) Department of Finance and (ii) Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry arising from the examination of the Value for Money report on FEOGA Borrowing.

5.Correspondence from the Department of Social Welfare following the examination on the Value for Money report on Means Testing.

APPENDIX 1

Dear Mr. Kirwan,

I refer to previous correspondence concerning the Value for Money Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General in relation to Garda transport and my appearance before the Public Accounts Committee in January in that regard.

Senior Gardai and officials of my Department have been involved for some time in a review of the management of Garda transport. In fact, this group had initiated its work prior to the commencement of the C&AG Study. This high level Working Group is currently finalising its report and has been rigorously monitoring the implementation of measures (recommended by the group and in the VFM Report) to improve the efficiency of the Garda garage.

Critically, the Group has examined a number of options with regard to the future operation and management of the Garage in order to address the key areas of productivity, efficiency and costs and its conclusions with regard to these will be available shortly.

It has also made recommendations under the headings listed below and most of these are at an advanced stage of implementation. The progress to date in relation to each recommendation is also outlined below.

Management information

A computerised fleet management system for the transport workshops has been selected and is in in the initial stages of implementation. When fully operational this system will provide reliable and timely management information relating, inter alia, to the fleet inventory, fuel and operational costs, vehicle utilisation levels, workshop and stores management and accident records.

Procurement and fitting out of vehicles

Initiation of the procurement process for new vehicles has been brought forward in order to facilitate the phased delivery of vehicles with delivery commencing in January of each year. The fitting of Garda vehicles with sirens, beacons, markings etc. is no longer carried out in the Transport workshops following delivery. Instead these requirements are included in the technical specification to suppliers of Garda vehicles, which are now supplied fully fitted.

Fuel procurement

A nationwide contract for the supply of fuel has been negotiated with a number of the major oil companies and contracts will be finalised shortly.

Mix of vehicles

Following a review of the mix of vehicles in the Garda fleet the overall mix, with the exception of the proportion of motorcycles, is considered satisfactory. The Working Group has made specific recommendations designed to substantially reduce the number of motorcycles over a short period of time. A fleet allocation model for all the main vehicle types in the Garda fleet has been developed and will better inform future decisions concerning the appropriate vehicle mix for the fleet.

Recovery of vehicles

The Working Group has recommended that recovery of vehicles in need of repair and maintenance should be contracted out. A tender competition has already taken place and a contract will be finalised shortly.

Productivity and efficiency

Productivity targets and targets for completion of specific jobs are recommended. Regular reports on productivity and efficiency levels and the evaluation of performance by reference to these targets is also recommended.

Allocation and deployment of fleet

As stated above a fleet allocation model has been developed as a tool to inform decisions concerning the appropriate fleet mix. It will also assist the process of allocation and deployment of the fleet.

Vehicle utilisation

Minimum utilisation levels for all vehicle categories have been established.

Fleet performance

The Working Group recommends that performance indicators should be agreed to assist Garda management in judging the efficiency and effectiveness of the transport operation, i.e. assessing whether the operational requirements of the Garda Siochana are being met.

Accidental and malicious damage to vehicles

The report identifies a number of organisational issues which should be further explored with a view to containing the costs associated with accidental and criminal damage to Garda vehicles.

I have mentioned earlier that the key conclusions with regard to the future structure and operation of the Garda garage will be finalised shortly. Implementation of these will require a consultative process with the relevant representative associations and I would expect this process to get underway once the report has been received and considered.

I will, of course, keep the Committee informed on the final conclusions of the Working Group and on progress in the ongoing implementation of the measures recommended in the VFM report.

Yours sincerely,

Tim Dalton,

Secretary.

24 September, 1996.