Fraud allegations being investigated

Garda cars: The maintenance of Garda cars is still not being opened to competitive tendering, despite reports recommending that this should be the case, the report says.

It also notes a criminal investigation is ongoing into allegations of fraud involving the maintenance of Garda cars in Dublin. The report noted maintenance of the Garda fleet was being arranged at District level, "and that this was generally carried out by main dealers in each district".

"Competitive tendering did not take place for this maintenance work," it said.

This is despite the fact that a 2002 report, Transport Maintenance and Procurement Compliance in An Garda Síochána, recommended the force "outsource the entire maintenance activity including management of the fleet, the contracts and costs, quality and performance management and compliance to a national service-provider or consortium." This was reiterated in 2004 in a Garda management report, which the comptroller says suggested "better value for money would be achieved".

The accounting officer responsible for the Garda told him a process of consultations was under way and a Request for Tender process, under way since 2002, was still ongoing. He also asked the accounting officer "if he was satisfied" the force was getting value for money, given that the majority of districts were awarding contracts for vehicle maintenance to dealers without any competition. He noted "payments in the range €200,000 to €420,000 had been made to some" dealers in Dublin.

The officer told him that "for the vast majority of districts outside Dublin and possibly Cork there was no alternative to using the main local dealer".

He also refers to an investigation into alleged "irregularity involving a main dealer in Dublin". Alleged wrongdoing included overcharging for labour, charging for parts not used, using non-genuine parts, causing loss and withholding warranty entitlements.