Appeal in ferry contract probe
Published 14th August 2008
(Belfast Newsletter)
By Staff reporter
THE most senior official in the Northern Ireland Audit Office has
appealed for anyone who may be able to assist investigations into the
Rathlin ferry contract to come forward.
John Dowdall, the comptroller and auditor general, said that he wanted
to have all the available evidence so that the investigations under way
into the tendering process and £4 million contract will be as thorough
as possible.
Three probes are now looking into allegations surrounding several aspects of the tendering process undertaken by the Department of Regional Development, who
awarded the contract to Cork businessman Ciaran O’Driscoll in April.
Speaking after meeting with MEP Jim Allister, who asked the audit office
to investigate the contract, Mr Dowdall said he was keen to hear from
anyone who could help the investigations.
Appeal in ferry contract probe
Published 14th August 2008
(Belfast Newsletter)
By Staff reporter
THE most senior official in the Northern Ireland Audit Office has
appealed for anyone who may be able to assist investigations into the
Rathlin ferry contract to come forward.
John Dowdall, the comptroller and auditor general, said that he wanted
to have all the available evidence so that the investigations under way
into the tendering process and £4 million contract will be as thorough
as possible.
Three probes are now looking into allegations surrounding several aspects of the tendering process undertaken by the Department of Regional Development, who
awarded the contract to Cork businessman Ciaran O’Driscoll in April.
Speaking after meeting with MEP Jim Allister, who asked the audit office
to investigate the contract, Mr Dowdall said he was keen to hear from
anyone who could help the investigations.
“My office is always keen to hear from anyone who has concerns about the
letting of public contracts and in this case I would urge anyone who has
information which they think may be relevant to bring it either to us or
directly to the DRD investigation,” he said.
Mr Allister said that his meeting with Mr Dowdall had been “very useful”
and called for people who may have private concerns about the tendering
process to come to the Audit Office in confidence.
But he revealed that the company which ran the ferry service for 12
years, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) – which is owned by the Scottish
government – had not submitted a complaint to the Audit Office about
losing out in the tendering process.
“I welcome the fact that he (Mr Dowdall) is encouraging people to come
forward and that is something that I would also like to see,” he said.
The DRD’s decision to award the contract to Mr O’Driscoll has been mired
in controversy for more than a month, since the Audit Office confirmed
that it had been asked to examine the tendering process.
Questions were raised in the Dail about a series of issues relating to
Mr O’Driscoll’s other government-funded ferry service in Co Cork.
He was due to take over the Rathlin-Ballycastle route on June 1 but was
unable to do so until July 1.
In the days leading up to him taking over the route a timetable issued
by Mr O’Driscoll had to be withdrawn because of a series of inaccuracies.
In June, the News Letter obtained a tender scoring document which
revealed that the DRD had approved Mr O’Driscoll’s vessels as suitable –
despite one subsequently failing a safety test and having to be
withdrawn from the contract.
And the lease for Mr O’Driscoll to use the MV Canna, the boat which had
been used by CalMac on the route, was only signed hours before he began
operating.
There is no suggestion that Mr O’Driscoll did anything improper to be
awarded the contract and the Cork businessman has promised that he will
unveil a new catamaran next summer which will provide more comfortable
crossings.
The DRD, which receives regular updates on the service from Mr
O’Driscoll, has said that it is happy with how the ferry is operating.
(The DRD in the North must be vying with the DCRGA down here for the “Most Content Government Dept. Of The Year” award. Perhaps we will see the Happy Civil Servant cup awarded to some gentleman from that Dept. Rather than our own champion the Assistant Principal of the DCRGA. It may come to a smile off yet on the border.
We also understand that the Northern team scored a happiness point by agreeing to be happy about paying for harbour modifications necessary to accommodate the Cork bid, despite the fact that this ploy had been ruled out by the tender rules. A foul, or a Fowl maybe??
A number of other politicians are not wildly happy though, having been left in Ballycastle to wait for the old boat, as the current standby couldn’t accommodate them, on a recent trip to the Island. The Minister for Health is, though, one presumes happy, as he and other chosen people were taken over on a private RIB.
Re the contentedness of CalMac the alternative bidder, who service all the Scottish islands and have an enviable employment and safety record with their fleet of over 30 ferries, a very reliable source close to the heart of the company informed the editor of “emara News” that the Scottish Government, which is the owner of CalMac, presumably for over-riding political reasons, instructed the company not to proceed with complaints about the validity of the tendering process.
Perhaps The Scots politicians have their reasons as our King Eamon seems to have for being such decent chaps in this particular area of their remit to look after the public good. It would be nice to know what they were so perhaps those for whom these judgments are being made might exercise their democratic rights as free citizens or loyal subjects at the next elections.
At this point it seems de rigeur to say,
“There is no suggestion that Mr O’Driscoll did anything improper to be awarded the contract” Would I suggest such a thing?
I understand the new standby ferry for Cape Clear is now due for the first of October 2008, not the first of January 2008, but of course the DCRGA have played a blinder by stating they are H-A-P-P-Y.
If you don’t believe me, ask them.
Ed – Editor)
