Public Sector Magazine Awards Issue 2011

Awards Issue Recognising Excellence

the magazine for public sector providers & decision makers

2011

AtriumWealth Management

A MEMBER OF

the Public Sector magazine 1

Public Sector Magazine

ContentsIreland’s Dedicated journal for the Public Sector, Semi State Bodies and Civil servants

32 Archaeology The Irish Archaeological Consultancy

(IAC Ltd.) is now Ireland’s largest archaeological practice.

34 Procurement Awards The National Procurement Awards

attract a record attendance. 37 Education 2011 has been a big year for The Irish

Management Institute.38 Built to Last Galway based contractors Stewarts have

a proud tradition of quality building.40 Procurement Professionals Achilles Procurement Services (APS)

deliver pragmatic and highly effective procurement solutions.

42 Event Management Arcana are fast establishing an enviable

reputation for the creative spark they bring to event management.

44 IT Guardians SunGard’s ethos is to help organisations

keep people and information safe and connected.

46 Buy Irish Consumers are being urged to buy more

Irish goods. 48 Financial Services Next year Cornmarket celebrate 40 years

in business.50 Legal Services A wealth of legal expertise from Philip

Lee Solicitors.52EnergyEfficientHomes Helping to make Irish homes more

sustainable and energy efficient. 54 Print Award RR Donnelly provide a diverse range of

services from creative design to logistics. 56 Procurement Practice Some key measures to improve public

procurement practices. 58 Tourism Award The Book of Kells attracts over half a

million visitors every year.

60HomeCareAward Adapted Living: Helping to improve the

quality of life of people with impaired mobility.

62 Retreat to Bunratty Bunratty Castle Hotel has some of

Ireland’s most scenic attractions on its doorstep.

64 Word Perfect Translations you can trust. 66 Action Plan for Jobs The Government announces an action

plan for jobs. 68 Therapy Award Hydroptherapy solutions from Advanz

Hydrotherapy.70 Road Safety Kildare County Council has a proud

road safety record. 72 Independent Living Calven Mobility specialise in vehicle

conversions for people with mobility problems.

74 The Persona Touch Print, direct mail and document

management services from Persona. 76 Time to Outsource Efficiencies and savings from outsourcing. 78 Drive in Style Driving down the cost of business

transport with Optimum Chauffeur. 81 Golf Tourism Award The Heritage Golf & Spa Resorts boasts

a stunning golf course designed by Seve Ballesteros.

82 Tasteful Furnishing Custom-built furniture from Yours

Personally. 84 Broadband Delivery Forfás calls for broadband investment. 87 Motor Factors Autoglass services more than 60,000

motorists each year. 88 Faulkner Interiors The magic touch from Faulkner Interiors.

2 CorporateLawServices William Fry Solicitors boasts an

outstanding record working on behalf of public sector clients

4 People Transport Ardee Coach Trim continues to expand

their service range. 6 CharteredSurveying McGahon Surveyors weather the storm

in an impressive fashion8 Software Solutions Unity Technology Solutions is bringing

greater efficiencies to Irish businesses. 10 Public Sector News All the latest public sector news. 13 Energy Saving Dalkia Ireland is the partner of choice for

clients seeking energy saving solutions.15 Procurement Training Public Procurement Services provide quality

procurement guidance and training. 16 Motor Award Skoda plans to launch four exciting new

models over the next two years. 18 Venue of Excellence The Killarney Convention Centre is

a popular choice for conferences and leisure breaks.

20 Planned to Perfection An impressive portfolio of successful

projects from Tom Phillips & Associates. 22 On The Brink Brink Climate Systems Ireland is

committed to improving the air and sound quality in our buildings.

24 SME Access Small companies are unhappy with the

public tendering process. 26FlyingHigh 2011 marked a turnaround for Aer

Arann. 28 Travel Services The Clarion Hotel Cork wins the

Corporate Travel Services Award.30 Project Management The ideal flood prevention solutions.

AwArdS iSSue

Managing EditorTommy [email protected]

Design: Minx DesignA Devlin Media PublicationTel: 01 – 833 0560

The Public Sector Journal is an informative guide for Government, Civil, Public Sector and Semi State decision-makers. It is distributed to, amongst others, Government Ministers, Ministers of State, Dáil Members, Senators, Secretaries of Departments, Deputy Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Principal Officers, CEO’s of State and Semi-State Bodies, County Managers, County Councillors, Purchasing Officers, Press Officers, IT Managers and Training Officers, Doctors, Financial Institutions, Unions, Representative Bodies, Embassies, Public and Private Partnerships and Political Commentators.

Client focused. Results driven.At William Fry we understand what our clients expect of their legal partners.

A results driven law � rm, that provides practical and innovative solutions

to the highest standard.

That is why we are a market leader in the Public Sector and winner of the

Award of Excellence in Corporate Law Services & Solutions 2011

from the Public Sector Journal.

Th

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to

r Journal

EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS AWARDS 2011OUTRIGHT WINNERS

Corporate Law Services & Solutions

WILLIAM FRY

EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS AWARDS 2011OUTRIGHT WINNERS

Corporate Law Services & Solutions

WILLIAM FRY

Th

e public Sec

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William Fry, Fitzwilton House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Tel: +353 1 639 5000. Fax: +353 1 639 5333. www.williamfry.ie

DIR2219_WF_Compass_PublicSectorHandbook_A4.indd 1 13/09/2011 12:17:35

the Public Sector Magazine 3

Corporate Law Services Award

A winning FormulaThe 2011 Award of Excellence in the Corporate Law Services and Solutions category has gone to William Fry in recognition of the firms outstanding record working on behalf of public sector clients

The award underlines William Fry’s position as one of Ireland’s leading corporate law firms, advising government departments, local authorities, and State and semi-State bodies. “We are delighted to have received the award,” said Alvin Price, chairman of William Fry. “We have a strong record of acting for government departments, state and semi-state bodies and local authorities and we understand the challenges and demands placed on the public sector, in particular the fact that its actions are subject to a level of scrutiny and on occasions a degree of challenge that does not apply in the private sector.

The William Fry Public Sector Group is multi-disciplinary in nature and provides the public sector with practical advice and expertise on a broad range of issues including:n Public procurement and projects n Public private partnerships n Employment and pensions n Corporate governance n Regulatory issues

n Judicial review n Data protection n Freedom of

information n EU/

Competition law

n State aid

Pointing to the firm’s “excellent record” in winning public sector clients Alvin says he believes the award will assist the firm in continuing to expand on its impressive client list in this area. “It is our objective to play a central role in the provision of top quality legal services to the public and private sectors in Ireland,” he says. “Winning this award from the Public Sector Magazine, a key title in the public sector arena, will help highlight William Fry as a significant force in the public sector area.

“At William Fry, we understand what our clients expect of their legal partners. A results driven law firm that provides practical and innovative solutions to the highest standards. The breadth of our expertise in relevant practice areas such as Employment, Corporate, Competition & Regulatory, Litigation, Technology, Insurance, Projects & Construction and Property, enables us to offer public sector clients a comprehensive and effective legal service.”

PUBLIC SECTOR CLIEnTSWilliam Fry have acted for a wide range of public sector entities in recent times including:

national Asset Management Agency (nAMA);national Treasury Management Agency (nTMA);national Employment Rights Authority (nERA);national Paediatric Hospital Development Board (nPHDB);Electricity Supply Board;Data Protection Commissioner;Commission for Aviation Regulation;Commission for Communications RegulationCóras Iompair Éireann (CIE);Enterprise Ireland; Health Insurance Authority (HIA);IDA;Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA);Financial Regulator;Shannon Development;Fás.


Coach Conversions Award

People TransportWhen Frank Lennon Joined Ardee Coach Trim as manager in 1989, the company was focussed largely on providing seat trimming for coaches and employed just two people. Charged with growing and developing the company, Frank quickly recognised its potential and in 1994, he teamed up with his wife to purchase the company.

Since then Ardee Coach Trim has expanded significantly and the range of products and services it offers to the people transport industry has expanded to encompass full coach and bus refurbishment, one-day re-trims and take up and re-laying of flooring and seats for sale or part exchange. They also manufacture their own Seats which are passed for seat belts and are qualified to certify a bus for seatbelt installation. In addition, Ardee Coach Trim provides repairs while you wait, an interior valeting service, crash repairs on buses, re-sprays on buses and getting buses mechanically ready for the DOE. The company carries a full range of belts and padding for the hand poles and the tops of seats and it also specialises in modifying passenger carrying vehicles to ensure they are wheelchair accessible.

In 1996, the company relocated from the town of Ardee to a 14,000ft² site close to Frank’s home and a year later, it had doubled its workforce. According to Frank the company’s primary mission is is to develop a profitable business, which supplies the people transport industry with a high standard of coach seating and interiors in a professional and business-like manner

Customers include private coach operators north and south, Dublin Bus, Alexander, The Wright Group in Ballymena, Northern Ireland Railways, Bus Éireann and Farrell Bros. The company has a long standing relationship with Dublin Bus spanning 19 years and was one of the first sub contractors to be taken on by the company. They have also held the retrimming contract for Dublin Bus since 1992.

Another important milestone in the company’s history occurred in 1998 when Ardee Coach Trim signed a deal with Walter Alexander in Scotland - which had a factory in Belfast - after winning the tender to provide 125 bus sets of seats. The following year, the company had an order for 185 bus sets of seats. “Because of those orders, we grew to 30 members of staff. Dublin Bus was still the ultimate customer in this deal, although we were supplying to Alexander,” Frank comments.

The company was severely affected by the economic downturn over the last three years and recorded a 60% drop in business. However, Frank reveals that there have been promising signs of a turnaround in recent months. With the emphasis on saving costs, transport companies are now less inclined to purchase new vehicles and as a result Ardee Coach Trim has re-trimmed more coaches in the past six months than in the previous three years, he says.

Describing value for money and the quality of both the company product and services as the primary attributes and key selling points of Ardee Coach Trim Frank says the company endeavours to go that bit extra than other companies and prides

themselves on the high level of service they offer to clients. “Because of the current climate which affects every company and business in this country, our main objective is to keep on top of every area of activity within the company, thereby keeping us in a stable position,” he says. “We have had our cutbacks over the last three years or so to keep pace. Our short term aim is to get back to where we were in the early part of the noughties and then continue to expand our company.”

While he expressed surprise on learning of the Award, he says he is delighted that the company has been recognised for having excelled in their line of business. “We endeavour to improve our business ethos at every opportunity and winning this award can only be good for promoting our company to other Public Sector organisations, along with our proud record of working with Dublin Bus which has been gained over the last 20 years.

“Every customer is crucial to any company regardless of size. In the present climate it is more important to keep your list of customers and the public sector is no different than any other customer. All any company can do is to keep promoting their company to all sectors.”


Surveying Services Award

Firm but Fair“McGahon Surveyors, Chartered Quantity Surveyors, have continued to weather the storm in an impressive fashion, despite the challenges of winning tenders in the Public Sector”

Despite the global pressures of the economic down-turn over the past 4 to 5 years, McGahon Surveyors have built upon their past success and have continued to aspire to the highest level of professionalism in order to ensure that the public purse and their client’s contractual obligations are managed and respected with the optimum diligence. “We have always believed that our long-term success can only be achieved by us providing the optimum service and attaining value for money on each and every project”.

The excellence in business award is another great honour for the practice and is a fitting reward for the many years of consistent quality service and commitment given by McGahon Surveyors in successfully completing hundreds of major construction projects for the Public Sector throughout Ireland, including the Department of Education and Skills (DoES), Vocational Education Committees (VEC), the Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government, the Office of Public Works (OPW), Court Services, the Department of Defence, the Health Service Executive (HSE), Fire Services, Regional Authorities, County Councils, Town Councils and Borough Councils.

“Public sector projects are, and always have been, the core of McGahon Surveyors business. It was two school building projects that started the practice in 1977 and to this day, public sector projects, and in particular education projects, remain the ‘bread and butter’ of McGahon Surveyors, for which we are extremely grateful”.

The commitment, expertise and quality of McGahon Surveyors staff is very much evident when you consider their involvement and the success to date of County Monaghan VEC’s €35 Million Multi User Education Campus, which is the largest and one of the first projects that the DoES have devolved. This project presented an opportunity for Co. Monaghan VEC and, under the leadership of their CEO Martin O’Brien, they have excelled and have now proven to be more than capable to offer another very sound option for the DoES to deliver school projects in the future. The 20 acre campus, which includes a 16-classroom, all-Irish primary school for Gaelscoil Ultain, a 400-pupil all-Irish post primary school for Coláiste Oiriall, a 700-student institute of further education, a 300-seat theatre and a separate sports facility is the largest school building project in the state this year. Although McGahon Surveyors were only appointed on this project in August 2010 the project rapidly progressed through the full pre-contract design and tender stages and commenced

construction on site in August 2011 following the appointment of John Sisk & Sons Ltd.; the speed of this delivery being a true testament of McGahon Surveyors abilities.

McGahon Surveyors always take a pro-active approach with our greatest attribute being our ability to analyse difficult situations and to create cost-effective and logical solutions, which allow projects to flow effectively through the stages in order to reach final completion on time and within budget.

McGahon Surveyors do not need to compare ourselves with any other QS practice. Our team of Chartered Quantity Surveyors includes award winning surveyors throughout Ireland and the UK, who are supported by the companies combined wealth of experience, our commitment to continued professional development and our ISO accredited quality control systems.

McGahon Surveyors future goal is to continue providing the optimum service to the various bodies that make up the public sector in Ireland and continue to believe in and act upon our caring and honest approach that manifests itself into the delivery of successful projects in partnership with our Clients. McGahon Surveyors have recently broadened its horizons and its experience, with projects in London, Leeds, Manchester and Wales and are confident that this award together with other prestigious awards received in Ireland, will help us promote our company both at home and abroad.

Damian McGahon and Joe Beggs of McGahon Surveyors 15 Seatown Place with team members from left Dan Fitzpatrick Shane Kelly David Toal and Donal Mooney with their Excellence in Buiness Award 2011 Outright winners

www.unity.ie

Ingenuity,Applied.

VoiceSecurityInfrastructureCall Recording & AnalyticsManaged Services

Call us now on +353 (0)1 247 7400 visit www.unity.ie or email [email protected]

www.unity.ie

Ingenuity,Applied.


Call us now on +353 (0)1 247 7400 visit www.unity.ie or email [email protected]

Ireland’s leading Independent Supplier of ICT Managed Services to the Public Sector, Semi State and Civil Service



iT Software Services and Solutions Award

united we StandUnity – By joining your business with an integrated & unified approach, Unity is helping to bring greater efficiencies and flexibilities to Irish businesses.

Established following a management buy-out of Calyx Ireland in September 2010, Unity Technology Solutions is now one of the fastest growing IT companies in the country and has worked with some 1200 clients in its first 12 months in business. Having purchased the assets and contracts of Calyx Ireland, the company gained significant early advantage owing to an established and loyal client base and the commitment of a highly skilled and professional workforce, comprising more than 120 technicians, sales, support and administrative staff.

IT is a fast changing environment and as a relatively new company, Unity Technology Solutions has the advantage of being highly flexible and can rapidly adapt its business model to meet the evolving demands of the market and any changes in its clients requirements.

The company is active in both the public and private sectors and focuses on assisting clients to integrate technology with their business to maximum affect. It provides a complete suite of integrated solutions across the entire spectrum and delivers them as part of one, end-to-end, managed service. The core elements of its business include voice, security, infrastructure, voice recording and managed services.

The merging of technology and business is what Unity is all about,” says Andrew Miller, Head of Sales and Marketing. “We are fortunate to have expertise in key areas of the ICT landscape and it is our unique combination of skills that allows Unity to provide a cohesive technology solution that our competitors can’t match. As the Public Sector progresses on its transformation programme, Unity is agile and flexible enough to adapt and alter our offerings to suit the public sector market today while ensuring our solution offerings adapt over time.”

According to Andrew, the Public Sector is extremely important to the company and forms a significant part of its commercial activity. Unity employs advanced, innovative and cutting edge technologies to assist its clients businesses to become more efficient and more flexible. “As an indigenous Irish company, delivering sustainable employment, we are passionate to help our economy recover some of its lost momentum,” says Andrew. “Our customers are key in both the public and private sectors and our advice is impartial. We will only ever recommend solutions that are right for our clients.”

Unity Technology Solutions is a deserving winner of the Public Sector Magazine IT Software Services and Solutions ‘Excellence in Business’ award. In its relatively short history, it has amply demonstrated its commitment to excellence and its extensive and loyal client base illustrates the quality and

professionalism of the service it provides.

“To win such a prestigious award is reflective of the fact that we have built trusted relationships within the Public Sector,” says Andrew. “In an economy as challenging as ours and where price has such a high weighting, it is refreshing that the Public Sector Magazine recognises that quality and excellence is an essential ingredient to ensure a successful engagement with the client. This vindicates our approach of “Excellence in Everything we Do”.

For further information log on to: www.unity.ie Email: [email protected] Tel: (Dublin); 01-247 7400 or (Cork); 021 452 7700

10 the Public Sector Journal

Public Sector News

NewS

The Minister of State for Small Business John Perry has urged Irish businesses to adopt international management standards to enhance skills and increase business following a Harvard study which shows that ISO 9000 firms have 10% higher sales

Given the importance of SMEs to the future growth of the Irish economy, Minister Perry, T.D, is urging SME owners and managers to enhance their management skills and improve their ability to make smarter business decisions by using international management standards such as ISO 9001 to win new business and allow their organisation to prosper and grow. SMEs continue to be the backbone of the Irish economy with in excess of 200,000 SMEs accounting for 99% of firms and employing 68% of workers while contributing over €10 billion to the Exchequer annually.

Speaking at NSAI’s SME Standards and Certification event recently , Minister Perry said: “There are clear tangible benefits to implementing standards, especially for SMEs. Standards can be used in the development of new products in order to reduce the resources spent on research and development, to effectively allocate resources in the toughest of times and to

At the recent launch of the Irish Exporters Association Annual Export Ireland Survey publication, the IEA Chief Executive John Whelan said that Irish exporters remain confident about prospects for 2012. ‘’Optimism and confidence amongst exporters is clearly expressed in this Survey, with 80% forecasting an increase in exports next year, and also planning to invest in new products and to recruit new sales and marketing staff,” he said.

While exporters are putting out a strong message that economic growth can be export led in the coming years, Mr Whelan said that the survey also highlighted some

improve their ability to innovate. The life blood of any business is winning new customers and by proving they adhere to standards, companies can boost their bottom line by demonstrating the quality of products and services they offer.”

Over 1 million organisations in 170 countries have adopted the Quality Management System standards and last year NSAI certified a diverse range of Irish companies in various ISO management systems. A Harvard study of 1,000 Californian companies has shown that ISO 9000 adopters have a greater chance for survival, suffering less “firm deaths” than non-ISO adopters. Organisations that pursued standards had higher growth rates for sales, employment, payroll and average annual earnings. Sales were close to 10% higher and there was also higher employment growth at ISO certified workplaces. In the first three years after certification, there was a 6% growth in employment and by year nine this figure rose to 32.5%.

Mr Maurice Buckley, CEO, NSAI, said, “The most critical business priorities for SMEs are still cost reduction and improved efficiencies. Standards have a proven direct positive impact on a company’s business performance and there is also a proven link

HIGH STAnDARDS

IRISH ExPORTERS REMAIn UPBEAT

Minister of State for Small Business, John Perry

between management skills and business success. That is why we are calling on SME owners and managers to look to credible and internationally recognised standards to enhance their management skills to help grow their business and aid economic recovery.

Over 25 companies were presented with their certificates at the event, the majority of which were SMEs, across manufacturing, technology, engineering, transport and construction.”

problem areas, particularly the fact said that the cost base for exporters is still a problem. Labor costs were identified as the number one concern, followed by trade finance and energy costs.

The report was carried out by the Irish Exporters Association in collaboration with Grant Thornton. Patrick Burke, Partner with Grant Thornton stated:‘’ Exporters continue to play a critical part in the rejuvenation of the Irish economy. While export led growth is being achieved this report identifies a number of key areas which require action. Strain is particularly evident in the area of the competitiveness of our cost base.”

the Public Sector Journal 11

Public Sector News

CAPITAL BUDGET REMAInS HIGH

R&D InCEnTIvES HELP JOBS, HIGH PAy AT THE TOP

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, has said that his Department’s budget will be broadly maintained in 2012, with current spending at €366m slightly lower than its 2011 allocation but capital spending will be a record high of €514m. Over the next two years, the Government will commit approximately €1b in enterprise capital supports.

The Government recently committed to a multi-annual Action Plan on Jobs, with quarterly targets and a strict implementation process. This will be key to delivering a rolling set of reforms across the economy and to support the Government’s number one priority of job-retention and creation. At €880million, the Department’s overall budget will be marginally down on the 2011 allocation.

Almost half (45 percent) of businesses in Ireland say they would recruit extra staff given certain changes to the current Research & Development (R&D) tax regime, according to KPMG’s 2011 R&D Survey (Take a Closer Look) released recently.

The survey highlights the views of 100 business leaders on Ireland’s R&D performance. Headline findings include:n Increasing the current level of tax credits

from their present level of 25 percent to 35 percent shows strong job creation potential. 45 percent of companies say they would employ more staff if the credit was increased, a significant increase from 36 percent last year.

n More than one in four companies (26 percent) predicts an upturn in investment if the tax credit was increased.

n Just over one quarter (26 percent) of companies believe R&D credits are an important factor in attracting business to Ireland.

n However, only 18 percent of those surveyed had ever claimed R&D

A new report into Ireland’s public sector reveals that top managers are paid considerably more than their EU counterparts. The Public Sector Trends 2011 report, compiled by the Institute of Public Administration, says that there is a much larger gap in pay between top management and administrative staff.

Middle and top managers are paid well above EU norms while secretaries are paid at the lower end relative to their EU counterparts. The report also found that public service employment levels are not high by European standards as a percentage of the labour force.

The total pay and pensions bill doubled between 2000 and 2008 but has now fallen back to just over €17 billion in 2011. The author of the report, Richard Boyle, urges that fiscal discipline must be maintained.

Mr Boyle says that growth in public spending is an issue and the comprehensive review of expenditure will have an important role in setting out sustainable levels of spending.

Overall the quality of the public sector is seen as good, with high standards in upholding traditional public service values.

The increased capital budget in 2012 will allow:n A 4% increase in the Enterprise Ireland

capital budgetn Maintenance of the IDA capital budgetn Maintenance of the County Enterprise

Boards’ capital budget n A 10% increase in the number of high

potential start-up Irish companies supported

n €18million spend on Innovation Fund Ireland to further improve the Irish venture capital industry

n New technology centres in Cloud, E-learning and Financial Services to be commenced

n A 20% increase in the number of Innovation Partnerships

n Delivery of the Partial Loan Guarantee

Scheme and Micro Finance Loan Fundn Support for the SFI research community

of over 3,000 researchers, including research teams working with over 500 industry partners

n Maintenance of the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions

tax credits although the incidence of applying for R&D grants is significantly higher at 29 percent.

Over one in five (22 percent) of companies who had claimed the credit were subjected to a Revenue audit of the claim, compared to just six percent in 2010 – an almost fourfold increase.

Launching the report, Ken Hardy, Tax Partner with KPMG in Ireland, said, “The survey shows that R&D tax credits have real value to the economy – especially in job terms. However, there is a key message in the report that R&D incentives are underused in the battle to tackle economic challenges. Our tax credit regime works well, but some aspects should be re-visited to ensure Ireland stays competitive.”


Public Sector News

The Minister for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock has welcomed the publication by the European Commission of its proposals for Horizon 2020, the EU Programme for Research and Innovation funding which will operate from 2014 to 2020. This will be the biggest ever EU programme for research and innovation funding, with a budget forecast to be of the order of €80 billion.

The Minister said: “It is in the interests of all involved in the research community, both business and academia, that we have a simplified and integrated European framework which will provide complementary supports across the research and innovation cycle from conception to commercial application.

Without pre-empting Ireland’s position in the negotiation of the structure and content of Horizon 2020, the minister referenced a number of proposals which he described as very welcome, including:n Major simplification through a simpler

programme structure; n Continuation of funding on the basis of

competitive calls for proposals;n Further development of actions to

facilitate mobility of researchers and structured doctoral training;

n Integration of research and innovation

Food and drink exports in 2011 are expected to reach a new all time high of €8.9 billion, an increase of more than 12%, or almost €1 billion, on 2010 levels. This follows growth of €700 million in 2010 leaving Ireland’s food exports in 2011 some 25% ahead of 2009 levels. Meanwhile, against a backdrop of strong global demand and high prices, eight out of ten exporters surveyed by Bord Bia rate their prospects as improved or very improved compared with this time last year.

All major categories are expected to show growth this year, led by dairy and meat, which combined account for more than 60% of total food and drink exports. Strong global prices are driving export growth, with the FAO food price index 26% ahead of this time last year, however increased volumes of dairy products, pigmeat, whiskey, cider, confectionery, sauces/soups and mushrooms are also boosting revenues. It is estimated volume growth across these categories will account for up to 30% of the total.

“As world supplies struggle to keep pace with the growth in global demand, the outlook for food exporters for the remainder of the year and into 2012 remains positive” according to Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia. “The latest surge in world food prices is further evidence that the era of cheap food is at an end, yet while forecasts point to a longer term upward trend, the conditions for volatility in prices remain in the form of weather-related events, fluctuating stock levels, exchange rates and market speculation. Nevertheless, the context for the achievement of the ambitious Food Harvest 2020 targets, including 50% export growth, has rarely looked more favorable.”

EU €80 BILLIOn RESEARCH FUnD €9 BILLIOn FOOD AnD DRInK ExPORTS

by providing seamless and coherent funding from idea to market;

n More support for innovation and activities close to the market;

n Targeted supports which are specifically SME-friendly.

“In line with the Europe 2020 Strategy, Ireland is working to ensure the alignment of our research and innovation investment with those areas of opportunity most likely to deliver jobs,” the Minister stated.

“Ireland looks forward to working with the Commission and fellow Member States on the development of the structure and content of Horizon 2020. The Research Framework Programmes have become a very important part of the research landscape in Ireland.

“Under the Current Framework Programme Ireland has been very successful in drawing down funding with over €300m already awarded to our third level educational institutions, research centres and small, medium and large sized companies. This puts the funding secured by Irish applicants above the EU average. We see Horizon 2020 as an opportunity to further deepen our engagement in collaborative European and international research leading to the creation of high value jobs for this economy,” Minister Sherlock concluded.

the Public Sector Journal 13

energy Saving Award

Committed to excellenceDalkia Ireland, part of the Dalkia Group with a presence in 42 countries around the world, picked up the Public Sector Magazine Excellence in Business Awards 2011 for Energy Saving Solutions.

It is one of the many awards that the Irish arm of the company has picked up in the last five years but this particular honour stands out for the company’s managing director, Pat Gilroy. “We are delighted to be recognised as a partner of choice with the Public Sector as we believe our offer can really make a difference and assist the Public Sector in its numerous challenges.”

Indeed, Dalkia Ireland play an important role in the operational improvements in the Public Sector – the company’s portfolio also extends to the industry and pharmaceuticals sectors as well as Healthcare and ICT, amongst others. With over 750 employees throughout the island of Ireland, Gilroy says that the Public Sector is one of the key components of the company’s continued success here. “The Public Sector is one of our key sectors of activity and our aim is to strengthen and develop our existing partnerships, as well as securing new customers,” he notes. “We promote our services online and in specific public sector publications, via public events and public tendering processes.”

The award for Excellence in Energy Saving Solutions is sure to put Dalkia firmly in the minds of Public Sector decision-makers now and in the future. “Of course, the Public Sector Magazine is a respected, well-known publication read by most of the senior people in the sector and we are confident that this award recognition will be a valuable tool in enabling Dalkia to be seen as a preferred Utilities and Energy Management services provider and demonstrate the benefits we can bring to public sector organisations,” Gilroy believes.

Indeed, Dalkia stood out in the category for its unique integrated approach which enables its customers to benefit

from operational improvements, financial and cost efficiency, as well as carbon reduction, which continues to be a priority and a pertinent issue as organisations and businesses continue to seek ways to reduce their footprint. “We support our clients’ operations by guaranteeing security, availability and reliability of utilities supply, energy efficiency and risk transfer,” says Gilroy. “We consistently achieve those goals for our customers thanks to our expertise, the variety of our utilities and energy management services which are designed to suit the particular needs of each of our customers, years of experience in dealing successfully with the Public Sector globally, and the advantage for the client of having one single point of contact instead of a variety of partners – this, we call, our complete turn-key package.”

The award from Public Sector Magazine is a testament to Dalkia’s commitment to customer service and finding best practice solutions for all of their clients. According to the managing director, the company has no plans to back track on that endeavour. “Despite the current economic climate, at Dalkia we are determined to continue providing the same level of best-in-class utilities and energy management service to all our customers and to pro actively delver savings in a sustainable manner.”


Public Sector News

The Minister for Small Business, John Perry T.D. has indicated his intention to support five of the Actions from the Advisory Group for Small Business Report. The initiatives identified represent actions that can be taken quickly and which address some key concerns of small business identified by the Advisory Group. The

vOICE OF SMALL BUSInESS

SEEKInG CREDIT

initial actions to be delivered are:- nManaging out of the Crisis: Develop

a simple one page guide setting out warning signs to encourage small businesses to ask for help and outline services available;

nCost Burden of Regulations: Audit and review the multiplicity of licenses

required by businesses to assess the potential for discontinuing some licenses and for amalgamating licenses; n Hidden Economy: Illicit Tobacco Trade: Introduce container scanners at ports with large volumes of container traffic;n Prompt Payments: make available an Official Notice regarding the Government’s current 15 day Prompt Payment Practice;n Prompt Payments: Develop a Voluntary Code of Conduct on payments within the private sector. “These are pragmatic ideas which are capable of early implementation to help small companies access the business supports they require, address some of the challenges of the hidden economy, assist their cash flow by promoting prompt payments, and seek ways to reduce administrative

burdens,” Minister Perry said.The Report also identifies measures which call for action by industry itself and by business representative bodies. Minister Perry continued: “I will be calling on the small business sector’s representative bodies to play their part in helping their members through these difficult times.”

The independent report commissioned by the Department of Finance on the demand for credit by small and medium enterprises shows that 36% of SMEs surveyed requested bank credit in the period April-September 2011 and when applications pending were excluded, 70% of those requests were approved.

In relation to the 64% of SMEs who did not request bank credit in this period some 80% did not need credit or had sufficient internal reserves while 7% believed the banks were not lending.

During the review period, 48% of SMEs reported a decrease in turnover while 26% reported an increase.

Welcoming the report for the further clarity it brings to the pattern of credit demand by the important SME sector, the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD said: “This report will further enhance

the ability of my Department, along with the Credit Review Office, to understand the business environment in which SMEs operate and their relationships with the banks. The results of this survey will be a valuable resource in informing policy decisions in this area and will be of benefit to all stakeholders.”

The Minister said he was determined that the lending targets set by the Government for the two domestic pillar banks for the three calendar years, 2011 to 2013, will be achieved. In order to assist in meeting these targets he is encouraging SMEs to approach the banks with viable business plans. SMEs should seek the available assistance from Government Agencies, such as Enterprise Ireland and the County Enterprise Boards, in order to ensure that their business plans are developed as far as possible.

“It is vital that the banks continue to make credit available to support economic recovery. However, it is not in the interest of the banks, businesses or the economy for finance to be provided unless the business is viable and has the capacity to meet the interest payments and repay the sum borrowed,” the Minister said.


Procurement Training Award

Maximum ValuePublic Procurement Services was established earlier this year as the public sector business unit of Bid and Tender Management Services and provides procurement guidance, advice, assistance and training to clients throughout the public sector.

The key selling point that Public Procurement Services offers to its clients is improved returns derived from their procurement process. The benefits which its clients derive from the company’s expertise include the following;n Achieve value for money through pursuing the lowest

“whole of life” costn Clearly defining relevant expected benefits n Pursuing a realistic delivery on time policyn Preventing wasten Fostering competition, transparency and accountability

during the tendering process “We view procurement not as a set of procedures through

which items and services can be purchased but as a core business function of the Public Service and we are at the forefront in assisting Public Sector bodies to get the best from their procurement process. Achieving maxim value for money is the pillar on which Public Procurement Services operates,” explains Francis Carroll, Director, Public Procurement Services.

The company’s client base is comprised primarily of state agencies which spend public monies through the tender process and they maintain very close relations and frequently advise a multitude of state agencies such as Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland, the CEB network, the National Procurement Service and many others. By providing training and advice to agencies on how to derive the maximum benefit from their procurement process they assist their clients to deliver on savings whilst ensuring the greatest possibly quality of good and service is delivered.

In addition to utilising its considerable contact base to promote the company, Francis also explains that recommendations and referrals earned as a result of its successful track record in meeting the procurement functions of contracting authorities has been key to ensuring that awareness of the company remains high. Public Procurement Services also utilise traditional media channels in promoting its services and Francis is hopeful that that the Public Sector Magazine Excellence award will prove to be another major strand in this strategy

“Winning this award is an honour for Public Procurement Services,” he said. “The Public Sector Magazine is a byword for excellence in the Public Sector in Ireland and receiving recognition from this publication is an excellent endorsement of the work carried out by us. Our work is always aligned to best practise ISO9001:2008 standards and thus we have a great regard for recognition by our peer group. This award is a continuation of that recognition and Public Procurement Services will strive to maintain and improve on the standards which delivered this award.”

Describing the award as a major fillip for Public Procurement Services he said that although the company has

been in operation for less than 1 year it has already developed a reputation as a best in field service delivery partner for organisations who are seeking to engage an external resource to assist them in the delivery of their procurement requirements. “This award provides us with an absolutely vital external recognition of the work we are carrying out on behalf of the public sector in Ireland and we will utilise it as a major tool in our marketing process, “ he said. “To win this award in the first year of operation is hugely important and will be a compelling factor when addressing ourselves to potential clients.”

In terms of objectives the aim over the short term is to continue to win and deliver public sector tender competitions and training for the public sector in Ireland while also focussing on expanding its client base and promoting greater recognition and awareness of the company. The medium term intention is to grow the business significantly in terms of revenues while the ultimate goal, explains Francis is “to become the first point of contact for public sector authorities wishing to achieve maximum value for money when tendering for goods, works and services.”

Prices effective from 26th July 2011. Prices displayed are recommended retail prices and exclude recommended retail delivery charge (€600) and related fees. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy, however errors may occur and specifications may change without prior notice. Metallic paint is an optional extra and due to the nature of VRT varies from model to model. Prices and charges are negotiable and are at the discretion of the retailer. Please contact your local retailer for further information.Subject to lending criteria. Typical Finance example: vehicle price €25,715. Deposit / Trade-in €7,831.01. €39 per week based on 60 monthly payments of €349. Total cost of credit €3,206.01, including acceptance fee (€75) and completion fee (€75). Typical APR 6.9%. This offer is made under a hire purchase agreement. ŠKODA Finance is a trading name of Volkswagen Bank and is regulated by the German Financial Regulator. Warning: you will not own these goods until the final payment is made.

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Fuel efficient Award

driving ForwardAs one of the oldest carmakers in the world, Skoda has long been an established worldwide brand and, to this day, remains one of the top ten bestselling car brands in Ireland with a range that includes the Fabia, Octavia, yeti, Roomster and Superb.

Founded in 1895 by Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement, who first produced bikes in Mlada Boleslav, a small city 50km north of Praque, they went on to produce motorbikes, then cars. Financial difficulties after World War 1 resulted in a merger with the steel industries group Skoda Industries and the Skoda name was adopted as the brand name. However, without Laurin and Klement, Skoda Industries would have never started to produce cars.

The company arrived in Ireland in 1993 and quickly made an impact in the market and in 2010, the Skoda Yeti was named “Irish Family Car of the Year”. Still, even with such a long and rich history, the company were delighted to receive a Public Sector Magazine Award. “I am thrilled to receive this award, especially considering the prestigious list of contenders for this year’s title,” says Zac Hollis, Brand Director of Skoda Ireland. “Skoda is a very progressive company and from a marketing perspective provides ample opportunity to be involved in exciting activities and projects to promote our brand.”

The award is a vindication of recent work undertaken by Skoda to promote their company to the public sector market. Currently they provide vehicles to An Garda Síochána as well as the Emergency Services and, over the next two years, Skoda will launch four new models with the intention of developing these relationships further. The Skoda Superb has also been chosen as a Government vehicle by two ministers for its spaciousness and comfort.

Far from resting on their laurels, Skoda recently redesigned their logo and management are now looking to tackle new challenges in the future. Recently, the car industry has faced new challenges and has had to adjust to recent winter conditions that have been particularly severe with both urban and rural motorists inconvenienced by snow and ice. With this in mind, Skoda has

launched a new 4x4 range of vehicles. “It will come as a surprise to many that four-wheel drive is available in the Octavia and Superb as well as our Yeti SUV,” explains Hollis. “With excellent fuel efficiency and low taxes, Skoda 4x4 vehicles will be attractive to many public servants across the country. I believe, however, with Skoda’s renowned durability and quality, our 4x4 range will be of particular benefit to the Emergency Services and An Garda Síochána.”

In addition to 4x4, next year Skoda will launch two additional models. In September their first small city car called the “Citigo” will be introduced, followed three months later with a family car slightly smaller than the Octavia. “Skoda’s long-term objective is to become a top five bestselling car brand achieving 8 per cent of the market by 2015, which we will achieve through expanding our range of vehicles, investment in our network of retailers and promotion of our excellent Skoda Finance packages,” says Hollis.

The Natural Choice

When you are in search of a world-class venue in a location that isinspirational and enchanting, no place captivates delegates quitelike KILLARNEY. When you need a world-class events team with therequired knowledge and skill to implement a successful conference,look no further than the award winning in-house events team atKillarney Convention Centre.

• Providing you with 4500sq metres of Convention Space

• Auditorium capacity for 250 - 2500 delegates

• Classroom meeting space for 50 - 850 delegates

• 20 Breakout rooms

• Banquet capacity up to 2500 guests

• 500 bedrooms on-site

• 2000 hotel rooms within a one mile radius

• Next Generation Network Enabled (NGN)

• In-house technical team

• 25,000 acre front lawn!

Contact: Cara Fuller, Sales Manager | Tel: +353 (0)64 6671502 | E-mail: cara@killarneyconventioncentre.iewww.killarneyconventioncentre.ie

Public Sector ad 25_7_11_Layout 1 25/07/2011 12:17 Page 1


Venue of excellence Award

Perfect Hosts The Killarney Convention Centre is a popular choice for hosting public sector conferences and leisure breaks.

The Killarney Convention Centre has over fifty years experience working with Public Sector clients and, in fact one of the reasons the facility was developed, was in order to allow it to accommodate large scale Public Sector conferences. As a result, the highly flexible Killarney Convention Centre can now cater for up to 750 delegates in classroom style or up to 2,500 delegates in tiered theatre style.

The Killarney Convention Centre has a proven track record of hosting conferences of up to 3000 delegates. To date, they have welcomed, among many others, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, the Irish Primary Principals’ Network, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, The Prison Officers’ Association, the Communications Workers Union and the ICTU delegate conference. According to Corporate Sales Manager Cara Fuller public sector members also make up a large share of its leisure business with many choosing to holiday at one of their hotels.” This business has also expanded in recent months as a result of our inclusion in the Fair Hotels initiative and public sector clients can also avail of special union hotel deals which are available to union members,“ she says.

There are 485 fair hotel guestrooms of various grades, to suit all budgets on site. These include The Brehon, Ireland’s highest graded four star hotel and The Gleneagle, the home of Irish entertainment since 1957. There are an array of function rooms and breakout rooms available across the complex as well as two press rooms, ample space for registration and exhibition space which is sound proofed from the main auditorium. They also have a range of expertise available to clients including a dedicated technical team, graphic design team, an entertainment department and their award winning Events Team. Other onsite facilities include the world renowned Angsana Spa at The Brehon, high-speed broadband, ample free parking, shuttle service, nightly entertainment, extensive leisure facilities including a 25 metre pool, nightly live entertainment, child friendly facilities and a children’s activity programme during the school holidays.

“Winning the Venue of Excellence Award is a great honour and a fantastic endorsement of the facilities and services we have on offer here at the Killarney Convention Centre,” says Cara Fuller. “It is especially significant for us as the public sector market is of vital importance to the success and growth of our business. To have been nominated, unbeknownst to us conference organisers is a huge commendation and we are very grateful and appreciative of this.”

Following particularly difficult trading conditions in 2010, the decision to become a part of the Fair Hotels initiative has proved very beneficial in both securing public sector conferences for this year and next year and for increasing the number of public sector members staying at the Killarney Convention Centre on leisure breaks. “We pride ourselves on the strength of our repeat business - especially that of our conference business,” says Cara. “We know that this is a result of the service we provide and the excellent facilities on offer.”

According to Cara, building relationships is the key to their personal and dedicated approach to working with public sector clients - from the initial point of contact at the booking stage right through to smooth delivery of a hassle free and successful event. “Our goal is to make the job of the conference booker straightforward and uncomplicated,” she says. “We work tirelessly to ensure that promises are delivered and expectations exceeded. Feedback from past clients tells us that our steadfast work ethic instills confidence in the customer and sets a high benchmark for our competitors. Our success rate is reflected in our high percentage of repeat business, while our unique position as a group of hotels and conference venue allows us to offer unrivalled value for money to our customers.”

Serving the Public, Semi-State and Private Sectors

Planning

Future?

for the

Tom Phillips + Associates

2-3 Roger's LaneLower Baggot StreetDublin 2

t +353 1 478 6055f +353 1 478 6054

Marlinstown Office ParkMullingar Co. Westmeath

t +353 44 939 0375f +353 44 939 0377

70 South MallCork

t +353 21 422 2880f +353 21 422 2881

e [email protected] www.tpa.iew www.advocateoralhearing.iew www.partxa.iew www.partxab.ie

TO M P H I L L I P SA S S O C I A T E SPLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

Contact: Also at:

Town Planning + Economic Consultants


Planning Award

Perfect PlanningAn impressive portfolio of successful and prestigious projects and a comprehensive range of complementary services, including economics and graphic design skills which Tom Phillips + Associates encompasses within its practice, has earned the company a 2011 Public Sector Magazine Award for Excellence.

Tom Phillips + Associates, Ireland’s largest town planning practice was established in 2002 by chartered town planner and urban designer Tom Phillips together with two former colleagues Gavin Lawlor and John Gannon with whom he had previously worked in the practice of Frank L. Benson and Partners.

The firm’s first practice was located in Dublin and further offices were subsequently opened in Cork and Mullingar in order to facilitate the provision of a comprehensive nationwide service. At its height in 2007, the practice employed 48 staff, but staff numbers have since been reduced to 16 as a result of the severe economic downturn.

The staff is made up largely of qualified town planners, but the practice also employs a senior graphic designer in order to provide a more holistic service and to underpin its expertise. The firms graphic design capabilities ensures that reports are produced to particularly high standards and incorporate a strong visual content. The practice undertakes projects in a wide variety of sectors ranging from agribusiness and alternative energy to commercial property, industrial, healthcare, residential, retail, tourism and leisure, etc.

It has been involved in a considerable number of prominent projects including the Aviva Stadium development, Ikea in Ballymun, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Enniskerry, the Corrib Gas Field Terminal, the National Convention Centre and many more. It also contributed to the first Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin area 2004 – 2006 and the Dublin Docklands Area Masterplan in 2008 and provided an assessment of the development proposals for the Mahon Regional Centre.

The economic arm of the practice has prepared numerous Retail Strategies including the County Louth Retail Strategy 2009. The practice was also involved in the preparation of the Grangegorman Strategic Development Zone Planning Scheme, and Tom Phillips led the team at the An Bord Pleanála Oral Hearing.

The practice prides itself on its attention to detail, its hands-on approach and its exemplary track record in terms of delivering projects on time and within budget. The public sector is a particularly important market and Tom Phillips is hopeful that the 2011 Public Sector Magazine Excellence Award will assist in promoting the practice within this market.

“The team at TPA are delighted to receive this Award and given the importance of the public sector to our company we view this Award as particularly important. This is a very competitive market, but this will hopefully give TPA an advantage in demonstrating our potential to Public Sector Clients,” he says. “We are confident that this Award will help our efforts to promote our company; we will reference the award on tenders and have already included it on our website. We will also be updating our Practice Profile to include this

Award. We take a very professional approach to running our business and we look forward to being able to reference our award on future Tenders for the Public Sector.”

The economic downturn and the virtual collapse of the construction industry has had a significant impact on the company and it is currently focused on restructuring and consolidation to ensure its continued viability in the current climate. It has also carried out a strategic plan to identify areas for which planning skills will be required in the short and medium term and has identified potential growth areas arising from planning and development legislation such as the control of quarries and Appropriate Assessment. The former includes a bespoke Oral Hearing training service, as well as a service to clients in the graphic presentation of tender documents. “Our main objective is to seek survival given the downturn in the Property Market and to seek ways in which we can bring expertise to benefit our Clients’ aspirations in these extremely financially challenging times,” says Tom Phillips.

However the strengths of the practice are clearly evident and the cutbacks and retrenchment currently taking place is likely to ensure that Tom Phillips + Associates is in a strong position when the upturn finally emerges.


environmental Award

On The BrinkIts commitment to improving the air and sound quality in our buildings and providing a wide range of energy efficient products has seen Brink Climate System Ireland achieve rapid growth in the Irish market.

While in Ireland we can sometimes have the impression that fresh air is everywhere, the truth is that gases like Radon, Carbon Monoxide, certain volatile organic compounds, moulds and other allergens can silently infect the oxygen we breath. With the growing focus in the building industry on air tightness, and on retrofitting energy inefficient homes, there is a danger that indoor air quality is actually being neglected. Poor indoor air quality affects both the structure of the building and the health of the occupants. Combating these dangers, Brink is working to ensure that all clients they work with have safe, healthy air all year round. Combining good indoor air quality and energy efficient temperature control for clients, their moto is simple: ‘Comfort All Year Round’.

Ventilation specialists Brink Climate Systems Ireland were established only last year as a wholly owned subsidiary of Brink Climate Systems B.V. Dedicated to improving the indoor air and sound quality in buildings, as well as providing energy efficient products and solutions, the company have already made huge strides in the Irish market despite still being in their infancy.

Working to a strict philosophy, Brink only represent companies whose products they fully believe in and who have ongoing research and development programs to improve energy efficiency and the recyclability and sustainability of their manufacturing processes.

The Brink brand was first established in Assen in the Netherlands in 1903. They first began producing air heating systems in 1964 and were the first company to develop a high efficiency heat recovery unit in 1982. In 2002, the company was acquired by CENTROTEC Sustainable AG and are now a part of their Climate System division which also includes – Ned Air, Innosource, EnEV-Air, Wolf and Centrotec Energy Solutions. In 2009, Brink entered into participation with Brink Solutions Ltd which ultimately led to the formation of Brink Climate Systems Ireland Ltd.

The company now produces a wide range of products developed specifically for improving the indoor air quality of residential homes and workplaces by way of ventilation. Among the goods provided by Brink are their School Ventilation Systems. The Brink ACC system is a very effective ventilation

system based around the concept of Demand Controlled Ventilation (DCV). They have also developed a simple ‘plug and play’ system specifically for whole house ventilation. This is a low profile system which is extremely simple for any qualified HVAC installer to fit.

Apart from a wider range of commercial ventilation options, the CENTROTEC group has a large Solar division. Their philosophy of partnership allows the company to work closely with chosen manufacturers to develop new products, enhance energy efficiency and promote technology transfer. Over the coming years management intends to add new products and partners all without jeopardising their well established philosophy.

24 the Public Sector Magazine

Public Sector News

SMe Access to Procurement59% of small companies report that their experience of tendering is ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ and small firms are losing millions due to bureaucratic procedures, according to The Small Firms Assocation

The Director of the Small Firms Association, Patricia Callan, has called on the government to immediately overhaul its public procurement procedures, which currently prevent many small Irish companies from winning valuable public contracts. “Allowing small Irish companies easier access to business opportunities through public procurement, enables them to increase their competitiveness and consequently contribute to job maintenance and growth and the overall economy,” she said

In a recent survey of SFA members (649 companies responded), almost two-thirds of respondents (65%) have not tendered to provide goods or services to the Irish public sector / local government / state agencies in the last three years. This is a huge lost opportunity for small companies in a market that is worth €14bn, or 11.5% of GNP, and in particular for exporters, where an Irish public sector reference site is often a key factor in winning contracts abroad.

Just 26% of respondents had tendered to the Irish public sector, 25% to Irish local government / state agencies and 8% to public sector / government agencies overseas in the last three years.

Callan commented: “Government policy on the need to save money in public procurement is working completely at odds with its enterprise support and job creation agenda. In its pursuit of the cheapest price, the Government is neglecting the fact that this will not deliver either the quality, cost in use savings or service levels it desires, but will result in lost jobs here at home. The new rules make it increasingly difficult for small innovative companies to compete and this means a serious potential loss of business.”

82% of those companies who had tendered found the emphasis on price instead of value for money to be either a major or minor difficulty, whilst 71% viewed the reduction in government expenditure generally as a difficulty.


Public Sector News

“The Government should publish data on the value and volume of contracts awarded to Irish vs. overseas companies and by company size. The results should be benchmarked internationally, and appropriate targets set for procurers here on SME market share, which should form part of Departmental performance reviews,” argued Callan.

Callan also condemned the bureaucracy associated with current public procurement procedures. The length of the procurement process was problematic for 70% of respondents, with the cost of bidding posing difficulties for 67% of respondents. “For example, at the outset, tender documents can be lengthy with unnecessary information being sought and no recognition given to the SME environment which has limited resources available. Tenders often require extensive financial and technical information which SMEs cannot always fulfil as they may not have the in-house expertise and as a result the costs of preparing a submission are excessive. We should move to the UK pre-qualification model immediately to remove these costs,” commented Callan.

The financial/administrative requirements were a barrier for 64% of respondents, and the contract size for 51%. “The size of lots put up for tender, financial turnover thresholds, indemnity/insurance requirements and criteria such as having completed three similar projects in the past, are clearly anti-SME and anti-innovation and should be removed, unless clear justification can be given for their inclusion,” said Callan.

“There is also a need for advanced education and training for both buyers and suppliers in the procurement chain. Training for contracting authorities should encourage them to understand and adapt to SME needs while SMEs need to be supported to develop the knowledge and skills to allow them participate successfully in modern procurement procedures.”

The SFA is recommending to Government that a full appeals

mechanism should also be implemented forthwith, which would include mandatory feedback on all lost tenders, more scrutiny and transparency throughout the system, an internal appeals procedure in each department and the opportunity to appeal to an Ombudsman.

“Public procurement is an essential element of delivering better public services in Ireland. Effective procurement procedures ensure value for money for taxpayers and the efficient allocation of resources, thereby enhancing the quality of public services. Small businesses provide a valuable contribution to the needs of the public sector through innovation, responsiveness and quality in the provision of goods and services which are vital to the public sector and the economy. In addition, by allowing small Irish companies access to this market, it enables them to increase their competitiveness and consequently contribute to job maintenance and growth and the overall economy,” concluded Callan.

Patricia Callan

Callan also condemned the bureaucracy associated with current public procurement procedures

AA_Award_A4_Layout 1 24/10/2011 12:07 Page 1


Air Travel Award

Flying High Aer Arann Regional is a regional carrier providing vital business and social connectivity between major hubs and regional airports.

2011 has marked a year of considerable activity for the airline and also a significant turning point for the company following a difficult year in 2010.

Earlier this year the airline announced the launch of two daily return flights between London Southend Airport and Galway and Waterford and it also reintroduced its summer service to Lorient from Galway and Waterford.

The airline also continued to expand the Aer Lingus Regional franchise agreement which has been a key factor in ensuring the future success of the airline. An additional aircraft was added to the fleet to service the franchise agreement and two new routes were launched between Dublin and Bristol and Aberdeen as well as from Dublin and Cork to Rennes. The airline also announced the return of the Jersey to Cork route on a twice weekly basis while a new service from Shannon to Edinburgh was also added to the existing Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Glasgow services and operates five days a week.

Aer Arann has made dramatic progress following a challenging year in 2010 when it was put into examinership. The company has turned a corner and is focussed on a return to sustained profitability. It has added to its compliment of 370 staff to cater for its expanded services and is aiming to double the size of the airline in terms of revenue, staff and routes by 2015.

According to Media and Communications Manager Aoife Donohoe. Aer Arann Regional will focus on continuing to develop both its Aer Lingus Regional route network under the franchise agreement with Aer Lingus and its own Aer Arann Regional branded routes from regional airports, “In the years ahead Aer Arann will develop its relationship with Aer Lingus and increase the number of routes operated and the number of aircraft in the Aer Lingus Regional fleet,” she says.

She added that the team at Aer Arann Regional is “absolutely delighted” to have been awarded the 2011 Public Sector “Excellence in Business” Award. “It’s great to receive a Public Sector Award in recognition of our efforts and we are confident that this accolade will help us in the promotion of our services,” she says. “We really value our relationship with the public sector and a combination of advertising and communications helps us to maintain a strong profile among this key demographic audience.”

Describing the principal attributes of the company she says the airlines primary focus lies in its commitment to people. “In customer terms this means that the airline places a major focus on customer service and the human touch,” she says. “Excellent customer service is a cornerstone of what we try to achieve every day in Aer Arann and we try to take the hassle out of the flying experience. Aer Arann Regional is deeply committed to the people and regions that we serve and we look forward to continuing to provide better, more convenient and value for money services as we continue to grow.

“Meanwhile, we would like to thank all of our colleagues and customers for their continued support and loyalty. “

Clarion Hotel Dublin Liffey Valley is ide-ally situated on the M50/N4 intersection at Liffey Valley, the gateway to the West of Ireland. A perfect meeting point with great access to Dublin offering 4* contemporary surroundings.

With an exceptional range of meeting rooms and capacities from 2-390 delegates we can host any type of meeting, presentation, training course or banquet. Each of our 12 meeting rooms offer writing materials, com-plimentary still & sparking water, motorized screen, blackout facilities, air-conditioning and natural daylight. Our dedicated Conference and Events team are on hand throughout the day to help with any require-ments you may have and ensure your day runs smoothly. Ample secure car-parking is available on site. All 352 bedrooms offer complimentary 100MB uncontended broad-band along with complimentary WIFI in our Conference Centre and all public areas

The Clarion Hotel Dublin Liffey Valley offers outstanding value and is a must for all to experience.

Dublin City Centre is within easy reach by public transport as is Dublin Airport.

For more information please contact our Meeting & Events Sales Team on

01 6258005 or email:

[email protected]

www.clarionhotelliffeyvalley.com

GrEaT accESS, GrEaT LocaTion….


Corporate Hospitality Award

Clarion CallsThe Clarion Hotel Cork – Winner of the Corporate Travel Services & Accommodation Award”

The Public Sector Magazine Corporate Travel Services and Accommodation Award is the latest in a long list of deserved accolades and awards been won by The Clarion Hotel Cork - a premiere 4 Star Hotel superbly located in the city centre and overlooking Cork’s famous River Lee.

Featuring 198 beautiful bedrooms and located just a 5 minute stroll from the city’s shopping, entertainment and premier business district, The Clarion Hotel Cork has previously been awarded the Cork Business of the Year Award for 2009 by the Cork Business Association and has won a host of other awards including the 2010 Food & Wine Magazine Top 10 Restaurant in Munster for Augustine’s Restaurant and the 2011 Restaurant Association of Ireland award for The Best Chef in Cork for Brendan Cashman from Augustines Restaurant. It was also awarded the Greening Irish Hospitality GOLD Medal Winner for three years running (2008 & 2009 and 2010) and in 2009 it won the Repak Recycling Best Practice Award for the Hospitality Sector, the EFQM Business Award of Excellence from Failte Ireland and the CBA Cork Business of the Year Award. The previous year it was awarded the International Clarion Hotel of the Year.

The Clarion Hotel Cork offers beautifully designed air-conditioned rooms decorated in light, modern colours with many

featuring floor-to-ceiling windows. All the rooms include a TV, minibar, free wired internet, and there is a 24-hour room service menu, a health and spa centre with pool, and 2 fine restaurants including Augustine’s Restaurant which has an a la carte menu offering delicious French and Italian cuisine and Kudos Bar & Restaurant which has a relaxed atmosphere and serves authentic Asian cuisine and a selection of European dishes. Guests can also relax in the Atrium Lounge.

Also available to guests is the SanoVitae Health & Spa which has

excellent facilities including a gym, sauna and steam room and offers an extensive range of beauty treatments. Facilities are also available for hosting business meetings and conferences.

Responding to the news that it has been awarded the Public Sector Magazine Corporate Travel Services & Accommodation Award,” Regional Sales Manager at the Clarion Hotel Cork Raymond Kelleher said it would help to promote the hotel to the public sector and other clients. “The team at the Clarion Hotel Cork are really delighted to receive a Public Sector Magazine 2011 Award,” he said. “The public sector is very important to our hotel and to many hotels. Our location in Cork City Centre means that we are a desired location for all corporate markets, including the public sector and we want to maintain our position as the premier 4 star hotel in Cork and a leader in the corporate and leisure market.”


Plant Hire & Sales Award

Solutions For HireMW Hire, Ireland’s leading plant hire company has the ideal solution for tackling the increasingly frequent floods which are having a devastating impact in Ireland.

Established in 1992 MW Hire has a reputation as an innovative, quality orientated company with a client centred approach to business. These attributes have steered the company to the forefront of Ireland’s competitive plant and pump hire sector and has been key to the company’s success in carving out a thriving export market, which accounts for as much as 40% of the company’s turnover.

The MW Hire Groups are the country’s leading pump hire specialists and experts in flood relief and general dewatering applications. The company’s extensive range of high performance pumps offers clients the most reliable and advanced pumping technology available today and they are agents for the world’s leading brands including SPP pumps, Selwood and Betsy pumping systems.

The MW Hire Group is also the exclusive distributor in Ireland for the Big Bag Flood Defense System, the market leader in flood prevention in the USA, Europe and Asia and only available in Ireland since March of this year. The Big Bag utilises the latest technologies in textile manufacturing and is an innovative and cost effective solution to flooding which can be deployed rapidly to high risk areas.

The big bag can literally be deployed in minutes and only two people are necessary to build up the protector which can be filled immediately with sand by means of a concrete mixer truck, wheel loader, excavator or similar machine. By filling on site the best possible sealing is achieved and it provides a safe, stable and highly effective solution while saving significantly on time, financial costs and labour.

It also has multiple applications and in addition to providing flood relief it can also be used for retaining walls, protecting against coastal erosion, providing emergency water supplies, oil spill containment, traffic safety barrier and noise control. With the dramatic increase in flooding which has occurred in recent years and the devastating consequences,, the country’s local authorities now have an ideal solution to minimise the impact of large scale flooding in their areas.

MW Hire is also Ireland’s foremost supplier of power generation equipment and the company’s extensive range of generators are ideal for Construction, Civil, Industrial, Manufacturing, Quarrying, Mining, Hospitality, Hospital, Back up/Stand by or Leisure.

The company has one the best equipped all round fleet available with a comprehensive selection of large plant and tools ranging from Aerial access equipment to traffic management solutions, air tools and compressors, loaders, compactors, excavators, surveying equipment, welders, etc.

It also stocks an unrivalled selection of lighting solutions ranging from portable single head site lights all the way to Super Silent towable Lighting Towers. They also have standard traffic lights as well as road cones, lane dividers and a full range of NRA

approved signage.The company

is increasingly active in the energy sector and provides complete on-site solutions for green energy projects and has been involved in a number of prominent “Wind Farm” projects including those at Lisheen Mines, Co. Tipperary, Boggeragh Mountain, Co. Cork and Arignagh, Co. Leitrim, to name but a few.

Located in Urlingford, just off the M8, MW Hire offers a nationwide service and maintains a team of provincially based service engineers to ensure customers have access to a prompt and reliable support service, if required. The company is a member of the Hire Association of Europe and are also ISO 9001 certified.

Marketing Director David Lewis is hopeful that the award will assist in promoting the company to public sector clients and in accessing new contracts. “We are utilising and publishing the Award as much as possible and I would hope that the Award would open a few avenues for us within the sector,” he says. “It was a great Award to receive especially when the market is so flat due to the economic times we are currently in, hopefully it will open the door to a market which has access to funding for projects i.e. the public sector.”

Public sector projects are particularly important for the company given the lack of activity in alternative sectors. “It is very important, particularly when all sectors are experiencing zero growth,” says David. “The Public Sector will always have certain projects to be completed either in new build or maintenance. It is a market that cannot be overlooked. We apply for all relevant Tenders as they appear on eTenders and other public sector procurement avenues. We also send monthly newsletters to over 2500 public sector workers across all domains to inform them of developments at our end and indeed inform of the product range.”


Archaeological & Conservation Award

Built to LastEstablished in 1998 by Rob Lynch, The Irish Archaeological Consultancy (IAC Ltd.) is the country’s largest archaeological practice with four offices throughout Ireland and 30 full time employees.

IAC provides a full range of heritage serivces, including the production of archaeoligical, architectural and cultural heritage reports for constraint studies, route selection reports, EIA, LAPS and SEA. In addition, it carries out Historic Landscape Characterisations, building surveys, conservations assessments and heritage management plans. They also undertake all aspects of archaeological fieldwork such as test-trenching, monitoring, geophysical surveys and full excavations. The company also provides cultural heritage training services for Local Authority staff.

The public sector and state agencies account for a substantial proportion of the company’s business and has been a critical factor in enabling the company to grow and develop its business and invest in new technology and equipment. It has carried out work for the vast majority of the countries local authorities on projects including water, sewage schemes, road and motorway construction, housing developments, public amenities and many more. It has made a particularly significant contribution to the development of the national road network and has worked on a number of major road projects including the M3 Clonee – Kells, N6 Kilbeggan to Athlone, M4 Kinnegad – Enfield – Kilcock, N9 – N10 Knocktogher to Powerstown, M1 Dundalk Western Bypass and the M1 Drogheda Bypass.

Expressing his appreciation for the Public Sector Magazine Award of Excellence, Rob Lynch says he is particularly gratified to receive recognition from public sector clients for all the hard work and the high level of service that the company’s staff provide in every project they undertake, regardless of how big or small. “I would just like to thank all our clients in the public sector for their continued support and for the recognition that they have bestowed upon us with this award,” he says. “The public sector would account for approximately 80% of our annual business and is therefore of major importance to us. We look forward to continuing to provide a great value for money service to our clients. Finally I would like to thank all of our great staff for all of their hard work and professionalism, which has been instrumental in IAC’s continuing success.”

According to Rob, the company has built its success on competitive pricing but he believes the company has differentiated itself from its competitors by the level of professionalism and service they offer clients. “Despite falling prices and tighter margins we have not compromised on the level of service we provide and our clients appreciate this, we feel that this is the best way we can promote ourselves,” he says. “We offer a very competitive pricing structure for our services, in addition we are very efficient and professional in every aspect of our service. The combination of these attributes represents great value for money for our public sector clients and this is our strength and our unique selling point. In addition

we have a team of highly skilled and motivated professionals working in the company which has been a key factor in our success.”

Rob is hopeful that the award will help to raise the company’s profile through-out the public sector and particularly within organisations that have yet to avail of its services. “We are continually looking to expand and develop our business through developing relationships with both new and existing clients, the Public Sector Award certainly offers us an opportunity to showcase our previous successful track-record on a wide range of public sector projects,” he says.

As for future plans, the short term goal is to continue to successfully deliver the company’s considerable volume of current projects within time and budget and to the satisfaction of its clients. In the medium term the company is looking to continue to expand its practice and the services they offer. “We have recently expanded our operations into Northern Ireland and we are undertaking a major project for Invest NI, says Rob. “We intend to continue this expansion and we are also looking at opportunities in both the UK and mainland Europe.”


Procurement Awards

2011 National Procurement AwardsThe national Procurement Awards were presented at an awards ceremony at the Burlington Hotel on november 17th 2011.

From Cork to Galway and Limerick to Dublin – this year the entries really flooded in for Ireland’s prestigious National Procurement Awards. So when the results were unveiled on 17th November, there was a record attendance at the ceremony, a record number of trophies presented, and more than 85 different organisations that are proud of their procurement achievements were there to cheer on the shortlisted finalists and the eventual winners.

Guests attending the glittering event heard from Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan, who helped present a number of the awards, while the main host for the night was deputy editor of The Sunday Business Post, author and presenter of RTE’s ‘Dragons’ Den’, Richard Curran.

During his address, Minister Hogan commented: “Procurement is a significant element of business in Ireland, whether in the public or corporate sector. Tonight’s award winners represent many of the biggest procurement operators in the Public and Private sectors. I hope that through the upcoming Action Plan these bodies will be able to create greater innovation at supply level when responding to calls.”

A total of 17 awards were presented – some aimed at businesses (both large and small), from the public and private sector and some highlighting special efforts made to reduce the impact on the environment through their purchasing actions. There were also trophies for best use of technology in

Phil Hogan, Minister of Environment, Community & Local Government, presents Declan Dullaghan, vodafone Ireland with the award for Excellence in the Procurement of Facilities Management.


Procurement Awards

procurement and those who showed their academic or research excellence in this field.

Most notable winners on the night were An Post who scooped an impressive five awards including the Overall Excellence in Procurement Award, sponsored by Accenture. “An Post has embarked on a strategic initiative that is truly innovative and has resulted in a shift change in the way Public Procurement functions. This strategic initiative is a Procurement Transformation Programme (Ten Steps to 2010) and demonstrates that private sector best in class principles on strategic procurement can be applied in a public sector environment.”

The Procurement Leader Award, sponsored by the Irish Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management was presented to Vincent Campbell, Director of the National Procurement Service at the Office of Public Works. Vincent has really got into procurement in a big way over the last 15 years. He has gained some of the highest qualifications possible in this field – including a master’s degree in strategic procurement in Dublin, and further studies at Harvard University. He’s a big advocate of professionalism and

AWARD WInnERSThe Winners for the Procurement Awards 2011 were:An Post: Overall Excellence in Procurement Award - Sponsored by Accenture.Vincent Campbell: national Procurement Service at the Office of Public Works: Procurement Leader Award Sponsored by the Irish Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management.Vodafone Ireland: Excellence in the Procurement of Facilities Management Award Sponsored by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.An Post: Best Cross Organisation Project Award Sponsored by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.Oxigen Environmental: Green Procurement Award Sponsored by Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.Tifco Hotel Group: Best Supplier Award Sponsored by the Irish Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management.Mary Mcnally, Hewlett-Packard: Academic or Research Excellence Award Sponsored by the Irish Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management.Irish Blood Transfusion Service: Healthcare Procurement Award Sponsored by the Irish Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management.Dulux Paints Ireland: People Development Award Sponsored by next Generation Recruitment.Symantec: Best Private Sector Cross-Function Project Award Sponsored by Accenture.An Post: Best Public Sector Cross-Function Project Award Sponsored by Accenture.First Choice Purchasing: Excellence in Private Procurement SME Award Sponsored by Enterprise Ireland.An Post: Excellence in Public Procurement involving indigenous SME Award Sponsored by Enterprise Ireland.Oxigen Environmental: Innovation in Private Procurement Award Sponsored by the Irish Independent.An Post: Innovation in Public Procurement Award Sponsored by next Generation Recruitment.An Post: Best use of Technology in Procurement Award Sponsored by Amárach Research.Dublin Airport Authority: Best Procurement Team Sponsored by Accenture.

Dr Paul Davis, president of the Irish Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management presenting the award for ‘Procurement Leader’ to vincent Campbell from The national Procurement Service

Dr Paul Davis, president of the Irish Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management presenting the award for ‘Procurement Leader’ to vincent Campbell from The national Procurement Service

Armin Samali from Accenture presenting the award for ‘Best Procurement Team’ to vincent Campbell from Dublin Airport Authority


Procurement Awards

Linda Davis from next Generation Recruitment presenting the award for ‘People Development’ to Freda Lyons-Murphy and Mairead Sisk from Dulux Paints Ireland Ltd.

Dr Paul Davis, president of the Irish Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management presenting the award for ‘Healthcare Procurement’ to Andy Kelly and Paul Behan from Irish Blood Transfusion Service.

Dr Paul Davis, president of the Irish Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management presenting the award for ‘Best Supplier’ to Declan Gahan and Tom Coleman from Tifco Hotel Group.

Dr Paul Davis, president of the Irish Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management presenting the award for ‘Academic or Research Excellence Award’ to Mary Mcnally from Hewlett Packard.

Phil Hogan TD Minister for Environment, Community & Local Government presenting the award for ‘Best Cross Organisation Project’ to Dave Furney, Eavan O’Hallaran, Gilles Ferrandez and James Pitt from An Post.

training, and likes to lead by example. Now he’s at the peak of the procurement profession – and is responsible for an annual budget of around one billion Euros, in his role as the director of the procurement service at the Office of Public Works.

Dr. Paul Davis, President of the IIPMM, speaking during the opening address said: “As President of a professional body that supports people like you, it is my privilege to stand here at this celebratory event. Procurement has become the new Holy Grail for organisations, be they public or private. Should not the long-term impact of who we buy from and where we buy from not be considered so sustainable local economies can be encouraged, nurtured and developed.”

The 2011 National Procurement Awards partners are the Irish Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management and Accenture with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Enterprise Ireland, Amárach Research, Next Generation Recruitment and the Irish Independent all on board as sponsors.


Higher education Award

Managing educationSince its establishment in 1952, the Irish Management Institute (IMI) has been committed to working with management staff in order to build smarter organisations through education and learning. Over the years the IMI has been at the forefront in delivering results-oriented courses for Irish executives and has received much acclaim for its work.

For the company, receiving the Public Sector Magazine Award is a vindication for the efforts they’ve made to date. “It was wonderful to get the call, out of the blue, telling me we had won the award,” says Mary Hogan, Senior Management Specialist at the IMI. “The public sector is very important to the IMI as hundreds of senior civil servants have attended programmes since we were founded. Even though we are a business school, the public sector has become increasingly aware of the significance of learning alongside the private sector to generate not only learning but also networking and a greater mutual understanding and respect.”

For the company, the award has been the icing on the cake after a great year in their history. Following the announcement by Enda Kenny of the alliance between University College Cork and IMI in June, they achieved their highest intake ever of graduate students in the autumn. “The IMI is very experienced in the provision of business education,” asserts Hogan. “We provide a safe, secure environment in which people can learn. The IMI is primarily a practice based institute in that our participants’ experience is central to learning in the classroom. Our accomplished faculty provides an education that is interactive in nature. We do not lecture to people, we discuss issues with them. We work to establish an understanding of an issue and a remedy from the wealth of knowledge and experience in the room.”

Hogan is confident that the Award will help raise the company’s profile within the public sector. “Our continued

partnership with the Public Sector Magazine shows that we see the public sector as extremely important. Being able to use the Award logo on our website will send a strong signal of our regard for public sector learning and further partnership.”

With a busy calander year behind them, the IMI continues to look to the future – the strategy now is to build on this foundation and achieve recognition as one of the top executive management centres in the world. “In the short term, in this very difficult economic climate, our first objective is to continue to contribute to Irish business and organisational development and to maintain and advance our international business school ranking,” explains Hogan. “We are the first Irish business school to be ranked by the Financial Times for custom education and we have continued to rise up the rankings since gaining access three years ago. In the longer term we want to grow our capacity to become the leading Irish business school of choice for the public and private sector alike and deepen our strategic alliance with University College Cork in Ireland and abroad.”


Construction Award

100 Years of BuildingFor over a century Stewart has built an immaculate reputation for completing construction contracts on time, to budget and to a very high standard for a wide range of clients. The business has undertaken all forms of projects including creating state-of-the-art buildings, refurbishments, heritage work and civil engineering.

The company was founded in 1902 when James Stewart began trading in Salthill, Galway. The firm grew quickly into a general building business with in-house capabilities such as joinery works, mechanical engineering works and an architectural stonework division, specialising in building houses, churches, schools and industrial complexes. The business was incorporated in 1938 as James Stewart Ltd., and continued to thrive as a main contracting firm. To this day the Stewart family own and manage the business, with the Chairman Seán Stewart, a grandson of the founder, being assisted by a team which includes his son Paul and daughter Rachael.

Even for a company with such a rich history, receiving the Public Sector Magazine Best Construction and Building Services and Solutions 2011 Award is a special honour, as Seán Stewart explains. “We are delighted to be the outright winners of the award. It will help our efforts to promote Stewart to public sector organisations through increased recognition of the company to management and decision-makers in the public sector.”

The public sector has always been an integral part of the company’s business model. Key public projects currently in development by Stewart’s include the Tipperary Decentralisation Offices, which will be occupied by the Department of Justice, and a flagship sports project which is being undertaken for the University of Limerick, providing four floodlit, synthetic sports pitches as well as an accompanying pavilion building. “These projects afford the company the opportunity to deliver meaningful improvements to communities around Ireland and come with the added incentive of an intelligent client, security of project funding and the involvement of teams of design professionals, which ensure robust project delivery,” explains Seán.

Stewart has been particularly active working on projects for the Department of Education. They are currently working on a number of new schools in Cobh, Tralee and Nenagh, along with two schools in Dublin and various other private projects in Donegal, Cork, Offaly, Kilkenny, Wicklow, and Kildare.

Previous schools constructed include Killina in Offaly, Moate in Westmeath, Mountrath Community School in Laois and Portlaoise VEC College, which was the first secondary school in Ireland constructed to Airtight Standards. They have also completed major work for NUI Maynooth, UCD and many other third level education facilities. “We consider the education sector to be of massive importance to Stewarts, as it provides a regularity of workload, unlike any other client,” says Seán. “Its projects are specialised and warrant attention to detail and excellent delivery team cooperation.”

For a company in the construction trade the virtual collapse of the industry has been a huge shock to the system. But despite what he describes as “a reduction in turnover,” Seán is optimistic about the future. “We have remained true to our policy of refusing to engage in below cost tendering. This has meant that we have had to reduce overheads and become a leaner company, which augers well for the future outlook. We have remained profitable throughout the recession and are currently in a period of managed growth. We feel that our longevity is directly related to our understanding of the need to continually improve, embrace change and innovation and to remain ahead of the trends. This can be seen through our strong financial standing and large workload despite an ever decreasing market.”

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Achilles Procurement Services Ltd 1 Harmsworth, Greenmount Office Park, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6w.Phone: 01-4020114; Fax: 01-4020110; Email: [email protected]; Web: www.achilles.ie

Achilles Procurement Services

services for professional procurementbe better informed, make better decisions

Achilles.indd 1 21/11/2011 16:31:22


Procurement Services Award

Procurement Professionals Achilles Procurement Services have won the 2011 Public Sector Magazine Excellence Award for procurement services in recognition of its efforts in assisting public sector bodies achieve greater value for money and improved efficiencies in procurement practices.

Describing its mission as being to support and enhance the professionalism of public and private sector procurement and supply-chain management functions, Achilles Procurement Services (APS) delivers pragmatic and highly effective solutions to assist clients in achieving their strategic procurement goals.

APS is part of the Achilles Group, one of the largest and most established supplier management companies in the world. It was established in Ireland in 1997 to offer procurement services to the public and utility sectors, both in Ireland and throughout Europe. It specialises in providing training, consultancy and advice and on-line buyer and supplier procurement tools for procurement professionals.

Reacting to the award, Greg O’Leary, Procurement Consultant at APS said that recognition of success in business is “incredibly meaningful,” particularly in the current competitive climate. “We are delighted to have received this award and all the staff of Achilles would like to convey their sincere thanks to The Public Sector Magazine,” he said. “We are proud of the fact that our efforts towards attaining value for money in co-operation with our public sector clients have been acknowledged in this manner. We are confident that winning this award will strengthen our profile amongst the extensive readership of The Public Sector Magazine and we look forward to the new business opportunities that will arise following this increase in publicity.”

Achilles Procurement Services conducts its business exclusively with the Irish public sector and its consultancy and training services are advertised in the print media and by targeted marketing. However, Greg points out that the the close working relationships which Achilles enjoys with its clients ensures that the company also benefits significantly from word of mouth recommendations and referrals. “Indeed, our strong reputation in the public sector may be considered our most significant marketing tool,” he says.

All Achilles’ staff possess a thorough knowledge of the public procurement regime in this country and are ideally

positioned to advise on a broad range of award procedures. Substantial expertise in respect of national and European legislative provisions permits the provision of high-quality support and guidance. The services offered by Achilles are inherently flexible and can be easily tailored to suit the requirements of a particular client, a fact that facilitates the formation of productive, cordial and long-term working relationships between Achilles’ consultants and their clients.

Going forward, Achilles intends to maintain its commitment to the provision of collaborative and insightful consultancy support and training. “Given the intense public scrutiny currently targeted at all areas of public expenditure, the need to discharge public funds in a compliant and effective manner has never been greater,” says Greg. “Achilles is dedicated to playing its part in the attainment of cost savings and will work with all of its clients in rendering individual award procedures more efficient.”

For further details contact Achilles Procurement Services Limited, 1 Harm-sworth, Greenmount Office Park, Harolds Cross, Dublin 6W. Tel: 02 – 402 0114 Email: [email protected] Web: www.achilles.ie


events Management Award

The Creative Touch Arcana are fast establishing a global reputation for the creativity and ingenuity they bring to event management and entertainment.

Arcana, the Galway based event management and entertainment production company established by the former drummer of the Saw Doctors, John Donnelly is no stranger to awards and has previously won the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Award 2009 for best start-up business in Connaught and the David Manley Emerging Arts Entrepreneur Of the Year Award

John Donnelly previously worked as Musical Director for Macnas and Macteo, and was Percussion Director for the Special Olympics and the Ryder Cup before buying MacTeo, the corporate entertainment wing of Macnas and forming Arcana. The company is made up of a team of highly creative and innovative performers and offers a comprehensive and diverse range of entertainment and creative services to both the public and private sectors.

Arcana provide an effective interface between the client and the world of the Creative Arts but maintains a firm and practical business ethos and has a deserved reputation for reliability and competitive pricing. The mix of creativity and conscientiousness has been a key factor in the rapid growth and development of Arcana and has earned the company a number of particularly noteworthy commissions which have garnered global attention. Arcana were appointed international event managers at all the stopover ports for the Volvo Ocean Race in 2009 during the 39,000 nautical mile event. The team produced all the entertainment and events for the opening ceremony and also directed all the shore events at stopovers in South Africa, Abu Dhabi, China, New Zealand, Brazil, US, Portugal, France, and Galway.

Arcana also presided over the National Lottery Skyfest at Limerick in 2010 which featured Fire, Dragons, Flares, Acrobats, Stilters, Drummers and an 18 minute Spectacular Fireworks Display in Limerick City. They also provided the entertainment for Bernard Dunne’s world title fight in the O2 Arena and the clash between Munster and the All Blacks which celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the legendary win by Munster over the New Zealand All Blacks and opening of the new stadium at Thomond Park. Other major sporting events in which Arcana have been involved include the opening ceremony for the Ryder Cup at the K Club, the World Rally Championships and the All Ireland football final between Cork and Kerry. They have also been involved in the St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations in New York and many other headline grabbing events.

Describing the company’s unique attributes, John Donnelly says that it is their “attention to detail, the creative approach which is adopted from the onset and the continual need and want to develop the company relationship with the client with the clear vision of maximising the impact of the finished product.”

John acknowledges the importance of the public sector to the company’s business and credits the staff at Arcana for the Public Sector Magazine ‘Excellence in Business Award’ which he is hopeful will help to further promote the company

throughout the public sector. “A large percentage of our clients are Public Sector organisations so it is very important for us going forward to nourish this relationship.

“All publicity is good publicity and at the end of the day you can’t beat word of mouth,” he says. “I am delighted that Arcana have won this award. Thankfully, I know we are the best in the country at what we do, and so this will stand to us. It’s not often we get noticed for the great work that all the staff in Arcana do so this really is recognition to all involved in Arcana. So, well done and thank you and a huge thank you to all our clients for having faith and trust in what we do.”

Arcana are currently involved in very large scale events both abroad and at home and John points out that in some respects they become ambassadors for Ireland when abroad due to the way that they work and because of their euthenics and approach to events in general. “By the end of next year Arcana will have some of the biggest productions in the world under our belts and over the longer term our objective is to be renowned for what we do on a global scale. In the short term the goal is to continue to strive to better the company and to always challenge ourselves.”

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iT Award

iT GuardiansFor 30 years SunGard has been providing support to IT departments worldwide. Focusing on providing responsive and integrated disaster recovery, managed services, IT consulting and business continuity management software solutions, SunGard’s ethos is to help organisations keep people and information safe and connected.

The company now specialise in enterprise cloud solutions, managed hosting services, dedicated hosting and managed co-location to the Irish and International marketplace. The primary focus on cloud, for most IT departments, is to allow for a consolidation of IT infrastructure on a unit based model. By doing this, IT departments can put in place a conformist, repeatable and homogenous set of processes and systems that will in turn be easily able to scale to match business demand. The multifaceted environment that IT departments operate within present ever more complex problems and unforeseen difficulties so consolidating into cloud will allow for a ‘reboot’ of IT performance and responsiveness based on an architecture that is future proofed.

“The clear aim of Cloud Computing is to allow any organisation to scale up its IT capacity, in line with demand and/or local requirements,” said Gary Watson, General Manager of SunGard Availability Services Ireland. “For any public body that finds itself either with seasonal, or even weekly, variations in its interactions with the general public, moving to Cloud is something that will deliver almost immediate value.”

Winning the Public Sector Magazine award highlights and validates the company’s ongoing commitment and support to the Irish Public Sector. “SunGard provides services across all sectors and sizes of organisation and the public sector is no exception,” said Watson. “We have found that the public sector finds our managed services – whether managed cloud or infrastructure as a service – to be a very cost effective proposition, giving them access to skills, facilities and high-end technological solutions for cloud and organisational availability without the need to make large investments out of the public purse. In times of austerity, this approach makes even better business sense, while looking to maximise efficiencies. We continue to promote our products and services through a number of media types and formats to ensure a clear and concise message is delivered.”

The end goal of SunGard’s Cloud model will be the ability for organisations to respond to frontline service needs quicker, easier and cheaper. The Public Sector’s IT needs are getting greater, and as such some visionary and long term decisions will likely be made in the near future to determine the direction that delivery models are going to take.

While Watson insists many of SunGard’s key plans and objectives would be company confidential, he insists they

will continue to drive and expand on their current managed cloud and infrastructure as a service offering. “SunGard will continue to launch new market leading products and services to the Irish public and private sectors. Indeed, we recently launched a content delivery network service, offering the fastest content delivery network in the world. We also plan to launch a number of exciting new products and services to market during 2012 as part of our defined product roadmap.”


Consumer News

Buy irish Consumers are being urged to buy more Irish goods to help encourage job creation.

Research carried out by research firm Amárach Research shows that over 6,000 new jobs could be created that if consumers spent as little as €4 extra a week on goods produced in Ireland. According to the research, households typically spend on average just under €16 a week on Guaranteed Irish products and services.

Guaranteed Irish is a not-for-profit organisation which promotes products produced in Ireland and its membership is representative of a variety of sectors including construction, manufacturing, retail and recruitment. The annual turnover of Guaranteed Irish companies is approximately €1.2 billion, with 23,700 employees, equalling €52,000 turnover per employee.

“If Irish households simply increased their spending on Guaranteed Irish products to €20 per week, that would create

an extra 6,200 jobs based on the turnover per job for existing Guaranteed Irish members,” said Tom Rea, executive director of the organisation. “This figures show just how important it is that we support Guaranteed Irish services and products as much as possible during these tough economic times.”

The Amárach Research show that Irish consumers agree with the importance of buying home produced products and the research on attitudes to Guaranteed Irish reveals that 83


Consumer News

per cent of consumers view it as more important to buy Irish goods and services than was the case five years ago.

Almost two-thirds of respondents surveyed said they feel they are helping to support the domestic economy to some extent by buying Guaranteed Irish while 41 per cent of the 1,000 people surveyed said they buy Irish goods and services as often as possible.

The research found that younger people were particularly supportive of buying Irish goods and 35 per cent of 16-24 year olds said they did so in order to help support the local economy. This was significantly higher than those aged over 55 where only 18 per cent said they purchased locally produced products in order to support the economy.

Forty-one per cent of consumers surveyed were aware of the Guaranteed Irish branding while 21 per cent said the logo provided peace of mind about where a produce was manufactured. As many as 86 per cent of consumers said companies should highlight the fact that their products or services are Irish.

Just over three-quarters of the Irish public make a conscious effort to buy Irish products at least on some occasions or as often as possible. The commitment to purchasing Irish products as often as possible appears to increase with age, according to the Research and is higher among women and those who have children. If faced with the choice of two similar products, four out of five consumers are more likely to purchase a product with the Guaranteed Irish symbol rather than one that does not carry it.

Membership of Guaranteed Irish has risen by 40 per cent over the past year, according to the organisation.

“Guaranteed Irish would encourage all consumers to do what they can to

contribute to the welfare of local enterprises by making deliberate choices

to buy Guaranteed Irish goods and services,” said Mr Rea.

“Guaranteed Irish is one of the

most powerful and respected brands in the market, it is very much the tipping point for consumers who wish to support Irish products

and services. The Guaranteed Irish

symbol not only identifies the products that are manufactured in this country, but it also differentiates products from competing imported products,” he added.

The Guaranteed Irish Research was launched by Minister for

Enterprise and Jobs Richard Bruton.

SMART CARDSBusiness leaders have said that paying child benefit through smart cards which can only be used at Irish shops would be a considerable boost to the economy. Ibec, which represents firms and employers, say a large proportion of the €2.2 billion in social welfare payments is held in savings accounts by the better-paid.It has suggested the introduction of a new system which credits the benefit to an electronic card which could only be swiped by domestic traders and has claimed that such a system would only take six months to establish. The business group claimed the plan would ensure as much as €300 million worth of additional spending in the economy and help create up to 3,600 jobs. It suggested reducing cash payments of the child benefit by a quarter to encourage people to transfer to the smard card system. Brendan Butler, Ibec director of policy, outlined the proposal as part of the group’s Unlocking Domestic Demand report. “The domestic economy is stuck in recession and just waiting for things to improve is not an option,” he said. “Simple and inexpensive steps can be taken to support consumer spending and create jobs. “Public finance pressures mean that an exchequer-backed stimulus package is not an option, but government policy can change consumer behaviour and unlock untapped demand in the economy. now is the time to act.”

BUy IRISH FOR JOBSThe Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton has admitted that Government departments and state agencies could do more to support jobs by buying more Irish goods and services. The Minister said there was significant room for improvement in public procurement practice in Ireland to create better opportunities for small firms. Mr Bruton said that it was “common knowledge” that a higher proportion of Irish public procurement contracts were awarded to overseas companies than in most other EU members states and suggested that pre- qualification rules should be examined to ensure that small businesses were not precluded from bidding for state contracts. Mr Bruton said the Government remained focused on cutting the costs imposed on businesses, and pointed out that it had already reduced employers’ PRSI contributions and some vAT rates since coming to power. Mr Bruton’s remarks were made in response to research carried out on behalf of Guaranteed Irish, which showed that 6,200 jobs could be created if households spent just €4 more per week on goods and services provided by the 300 constituent members of the organisations.

Serving the Public Sector for 40 years

Since 1972, Cornmarket has been providing Public Sector

employees like you with great value financial services.

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Here to Help YoUFor further information, please call (01) 408 4000.

Cornmarket Group Financial Services Ltd. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and is a member of the Irish Life & Permanent Group. Irish Life & Permanent plc is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Telephone calls may be recorded for quality control and training purposes. 56

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Financial Services Award

Cornmarket next year Cornmarket celebrates 40 years in business and the company is now one of Ireland’s largest insurance brokers specialising in providing financial advice and preferential deals to public sector employees.

Cornmarket provide a broad range of financial services and products in the areas of Retirement Planning, Pensions, Salary Protection, Car, Home and Health Insurance, etc. They harness the bulk buying power of Public Sector employees to negotiate cost effective, preferential Schemes. Their Schemes are tailored to the specific needs of each particular profession and Union.

“We are dedicated to providing preferential financial services to Public Sector employees, so this award is very special” said Ivan Ahern, Director of Cornmarket. “We were absolutely delighted and honoured to receive this award. In fact the timing couldn’t be more appropriate as next year is our 40th Anniversary. We gratefully accept this award as an acknowledgement of our 40 years of dedication to providing financial services to the Public Sector. I want to express our sincerest thanks and our commitment to continue to provide Public Sector employees with the best advice and best value possible at all times.” Ivan continues “Now more than ever, Public Sector employees need expert financial advice along with the products and services to help them plan and prepare for their future. As brokers specialising in advising Public Sector employees on their finances, we see it as our job to search the market on their behalf for the best deals possible.”

Cornmarket administer some of the largest Voluntary Group

Schemes in the country in the areas of Salary Protection, AVCs and Car Insurance for trade unions including the INTO, ASTI, TUI, INMO, SIPTU and IMPACT. Their principal focus is on ensuring that they provide financial products and services to Public Sector employees that are relevant, competitive and accessible.

Looking to the future Cornmarket is committed to continuing to provide tailored services and products to Public Sector employees that represent excellent value for money, as they have done for the past 40 years. Ivan concludes “Over the next 40 years we will strive to improve our offerings even further by continuing to negotiate preferential deals and services on behalf of Public Sector employees.”

To find out about Cornmarket services please call (01) 408 4025 or email [email protected]

Roddy Murphy, Managing Director and Ivan Ahern, Director, Cornmarket


Legal Services Award

beating off competition Philip Lee Solicitors was selected as the outright winner in Legal Law Services and Solutions category at this year’s Public Sector Magazine Awards.

The firm had to beat of some stiff competition but then that’s a trait that Philip Lee and his team of expert solicitors are used to by now. “We are delighted to have received this award,” says Lee. “We very much value our public sector clients and always strive to ensure excellence, peace of mind and value for money, which is extremely important in today’s business environment. It is nice to have our efforts reflected in this symbolic award.”

Since Philip Lee established the firm in 1993, it has continued to expand from its signature EU, Procurement and Competition law focus to incorporate market-leading expertise in a number of sectors. Some of these include mergers and acquisitions, projects and project finance, tax and pensions, regulatory compliance, data protection, media and entertainment, corporate crime, public procurement and governance and ethics, amongst many others. The wide range of services is covered from both Dublin and Brussels and to deliver for clients, Lee says that it is critical that the firm continue to take account of new developments and unpredicted challenges, and respond effectively.

With that in mind, it is not surprising that the company is used to new challenges and despite competing with some of the more renowned firms both here and in the UK, Lee says that the key to their success is their people and a willingness to grow the company, even in the most challenging of economic times. “We have some of the most amazing, committed and expert lawyers in the country,” Lee believes. “We take on very challenging, novel and substantial work, and deliver very successful results

for our clients. We can swiftly adapt our teams to suit the needs of clients, bringing in external expertise where required and ensuring that our more junior lawyers develop a wide range of legal skills. This provides our clients with a premium service, tailor-made solutions and value for money. We regularly compete with and beat the bigger firms in Ireland and the UK and also undertake some of the largest and most significant cases in the High Court and Supreme Court, as well as major arbitrations and exciting, strategic and high-value projects. At the same time, our clients gain a very individual and tailored service from dedicated and well-integrated teams, which we believe sets us apart from the competition.”

On top of the commercial work undertaken by the firm for public and private sector clients, Philip Lee Solicitors acts for a number of companies in the NGO and not-for-profit sector including Integrating Ireland, Integration and Social Inclusion Centre of Ireland, Connect Ethiopia and Camara, a technology based education charity.

Tel: 0044 2890 849 806Mob: 0044 7810 525 859


energy efficiency Homes Award

Low energy HomesThe commitment to providing a more sustainable and environmetnally friendly built environment has earned Energy Efficient Homes the 2011 Public Sector Magazine Award for Energy Efficiency.

“Our company Energy Efficient Homes is very pleased its contribution to energy efficiency in new build homes has been acknowledged, both in the private and public sector. We were taken completely by surprise when we were told of this award, never-the-less it is greatly appreciated,” said Managing Driector of Energy Efficient Homes Jimmy Conlon in response to the news that his company had been awarded the 2011 Public Sector Magazine Award for Energy Efficient Buildings.

Energy Efficient Homes has an unrivalled reputation for personal service and offers its clients expert advice and guidance how to achieve an “Energy Efficient” building, whether the projects is part of a housing development, an office block, nursing home, school or a “one off” home.

“We focus on outlining the full range of options to our clients in a plain and simple approach that will be readily understood,” says Jimmy. “We are extremely flexible and can work with architects, quantity surveyors, main contractors etc. We work from the approved architect’s drawings and design the “Energy Efficiency” to whatever level the client wishes to achieve, from the current Building Control level “U” value of 0.27, to passive, including “airtightness”, energy efficient heating and plumbing using Solar Energy. With “one off” residential homes we are ideally suited to “Self Builders” who would like to do most of the work themselves or use their relatives and friends in order to reduce costs.”

While acknowledging the importance of the public sector to both the company’s current and future business, he says that greater progress is required in terms of promoting and developing policies which prioritise energy efficiency in our built environment. “I feel that much, much, more needs to be done in terms of providing for a greater degree of “Sustainability and Energy Efficiency” in new buildings which is essential to our efforts to reduce carbon emissions and the overall carbon footprint in new buildings,” he says. “To this end we are promoting a simple but very effective way of achieving this with new residential developments, and in particular, large “One Off” private houses. This also applies to offices, nursing homes, schools and any building where keeping a constant temperature is of the utmost importance, and energy costs are to be kept to a minimum.”

According to Jimmy, the company’s principal objective at present is to encourage the appropriate Government Departments to publicly acknowledge Irish companies such as theirs that are promoting “Energy Efficiency” in all aspects of new buildings, and where possible make sure that they are given every opportunity to participate in any Government building programme by compiling a registrar of what companies are properly qualified to do what, as regards the “Energy Efficiency” aspects of new builds.

Jimmy is confident that the Award will help his efforts

to continue to promote the company to public sector organisations and to reinforce his message as to the critical importance of promoting and supporting a greater degree of energy efficiency and sustainability in our built environment. “To date the Public Sector Magazine has been instrumental in opening new doors and helping us to expand our business all over Ireland and we would hope to continue to use this medium to promote our business,” he says. “I would like to thank everyone involved with the Public Sector Awards Scheme and also offer my full attention to any query anyone may have regarding “Energy Efficiency” in new buildings, be it a “one off” house, school, nursing home, etc.”

Jimmy Conlon can be contacted on [email protected] or you can visit the company’s website : www.energyefficienthomesireland.com

RRD Public Sector Advert_outlined.indd 1 13/09/2011 12:25


Print Solutions Award

delivering on a promiseProviding a broad and diverse range of services from creative design to print, transactional print and a full logistics service, RR Donnelly’s reputation for providing a high quality service at competitive prices has ensured its success among public sector clients.

Delivering a diverse range of services from creative design to print and with a full logistics service, RR Donnelley works with some of the largest corporate organisations as well as the most prominent public service bodies in Ireland. From O2 to Fáilte Ireland and from UPC to An Post, the company, under the stewardship of Managing Director Dave Furney, is diversifying its business in an effort to meet the ever changing requirements of its high profile client base.

The company, given its global stature, is no stranger to awards but as Furney points out, winning an award for services carried out on behalf of the public sector in Ireland holds special weight. “Across the world RR Donnelley works hard to provide exceptional value and service to our clients and we are delighted and proud that our team here in Ireland has been recognised with this important award,” he says. “The public sector is extremely important to RR Donnelley. As all organisations, public and private, are challenged to do more with less, we find that our capabilities are an excellent match to the public sector’s needs here. We have undertaken to attend public sector events and otherwise reach out to promote awareness of RR Donnelley and the services we provide. One of the most important ways that we promote RR Donnelley is by sharing the successes that we have helped our clients to achieve.”

Of course, value for money is one of the key attributes for any provider to deliver these days and to help clients achieve their objectives in a more prudent and sensible way, Furney and his team have altered their business model to fit around the needs of their customers. “RR Donnelley is uniquely positioned to offer public sector organisations a range of integrated communication services from creative design through to inbound and outbound processing,” he explains. “This full range of solutions enables public sector and other clients to streamline processes, enhance efficiencies and ensure consistent quality.”

The award, Furney says, will help the company to further

promote its range of capabilities not just to public sector clients to potential customers in the private sector too. “This award will further enhance RR Donnelley’s reputation for providing exceptional service and value to both public and private sector organisations,” he acknowledges. “Recognition like this, which originates with a client’s nomination, is seen as very credible so we will be sharing this news with clients and prospects alike.”

Furney says that his team have no intention of taking their position as award winners for granted and indeed indicates through plans for the future that the Irish arm of RR Donnelley’s extensive operation will continue to find ways of delivering for its clients. “Our key objectives, as always, are to continue to deliver exceptional quality and service to our clients across the public sector and continue to earn opportunities to expand existing relationships and to establish new ones,” he says. “Again, we are very proud that the spirit and customer-focus of our team has been recognised with this award. We work hard to ensure that the teams that support our clients across the public sector are fully aligned to meeting their goals and objectives, and we will continue to do so.”


Public Sector News

improving Procurement A key objective of the Minister at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Brian Hayes is to radically improve public procurement practices. He outlines some of the significant measures undertaken by his Department to date

The level of awareness within the public sector on the need to change and improve public procurement practices has dramatically increased over the last year or so. Through the interactions of the National Procurement Service other public bodies now claim evidence of networks of procurement personnel across various public sector organisations which are focusing on identifying markets where they can aggregate demand to achieve savings. Heretofore these professionals were often working in isolation without the benefit of learning from the experiences of their peers in other organisations. There is now a willingness and desire to change behaviours and attitudes as evidenced at various seminars, etc., facilitated by the NPS. The NPS are planning to roll out a nationwide training program for buyers in the South West and West commencing at the end of October. This development is in line with the objectives of the public sector reform programme, whereby fewer public servants will deliver a better overall service resulting in significant savings for the exchequer.

Some of my priorities can be summarized as follows: n Achieve targeted cost savings through aggregation of contracts

and collaboration among public sector bodies.n Achieve administrative savings by avoiding duplication

of effort in procurement across the public service. Each procurement process avoided represents a conservative saving, on average, of €6,000.

n Streamline and standardise processes for an integrated approach to public sector procurement. The NPS, in

partnership with the Offices of the Chief State Solicitor and the Attorney General, have published Standard Tender and Contract Documents for use by Central Government with a

recommendation that they be adopted by all public bodies. This unified approach is reducing variation in requirements from Suppliers. The NPS also provide guidance and support for buyers on correct tendering procedures.

n Reduce the risk of exposure to legal challenge and increase compliance to procurement law by being a centre of excellence in procurement for the provision of guidance and advice, and also through the use of standardised documentation.

n Increase competitiveness of the marketplace by increasing the

Minister Brian Hayes

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Public Sector News

numbers of suppliers competing for public sector contracts.n Ensure high client satisfaction. n Recognised expertise in procurement professionalism through

supporting the MBs in Strategic Procurement run by Dublin City University.

Best Practice

I have looked at best practise, not alone in the UK, but elsewhere internationally. Utilizing best practice and standards, I am now overseeing tremendous changes to the procurement landscape in Ireland. Many of these changes are being driven by the National Procurement Service of the OPW.

Some of the main initiatives and achievements to date include:n Established networks of public service procurement officials

and an Advisory Committee.n Major inter-sectoral meetings undertaken with key players in

public procurement to identify markets to strategically target for collaboration.

n Expanded NPS Board, to make it more inclusive of sectoral interests, including Chief State Solicitor’s Office (due to the legalistic nature of procurement) and Enterprise Ireland.

n Compilation of data on expenditure in the public sector, enabling the strategic targeting of markets most suitable for intervention.

n Standard suite of tender/contract documents produced and are available on www.procurement.ie

n Provided a comprehensive service to procurement staff that gives access to practical advice and guidance on issues relating to procurement, including three large scale education seminars organised by NPS.

n Guidance document produced on the new Remedies Directive, including standstill notices

n Engaged with suppliers, representative groups, trade associations and sectoral groupings to identify appropriate learning needs.

n To date the NPS has hosted over 35 Supplier and Buyer Education events. As a result over 1,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) have benefited from workshops and presentations across the country. The NPS also closely collaborates with InterTrade Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and ISME, Winning in Tendering, IBEC and Chambers of Commerce.

n Continued to develop the relationship with our colleagues in the Central Procurement Directorate (CPD) in Northern Ireland as well as the UK and Scotland.

n Established a new NPS corporate website that serves as a single point of information on procurement issues (www.procurement.ie).Since the NPS was established in 2009, it has now overseen

savings in the order of €91million across the public sector. This does not include the administrative savings associated with the availability of centralised contracts. NPS contracts and framework agreements are being used by over 173 Public Sector Bodies including Central Government, Local Authorities and 3rd Level Education Bodies. Energy contracts are also being used extensively at approximately 500 Health Service Executive (HSE) locations including Hospitals, Health Centres, Offices and Houses.

n Maintained existing eTenders website (www.etenders.gov.ie).n Ongoing monitoring of contracts in place for Liquid fuels and

Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG).n Established new framework agreements including:n Electricityn Natural Gasn Printing Servicesn Clothing and Footwearn Vehiclesn State Advertisingn Stationeryn Paper

Where applicable, all new frameworks and contracts are cross-sectoral, embracing all public bodies.

Between March 2009 and the end of 2010, the NPS had established 41 framework agreements and contracts, the bulk of which (35) were put in place in 2010. These framework agreements and contracts comprise: framework agreements, agreements resulting from subsequent mini-competitions and stand-alone contracts. The annual estimated potential value of the 41 framework agreements and contracts is €430million. These estimates are based on the anticipated expenditure under the relevant frameworks/contracts in a given year. The values are estimated using historic data and future anticipated usage.

Cost Savings and efficiency Measures

There are significant savings being made across all of the public sector by the various procuring bodies. This is being achieved through strategic procurement, centralized procurement, collaborative procurement etc. The savings being achieved are all being utilized to fund other services where funding has decreased, etc. An example of this is the NPS. Since it was established in 2009, it has overseen savings in the order of €91million across the public sector. This does not include the administrative savings associated with the availability of centralised contracts. NPS Contracts and Framework agreement are being used by over 173 Public Sector Bodies including Central Government, Local Authorities and 3rd Level Education Bodies. Energy contracts are also being used extensively at approximately 500 Health Service Executive (HSE) locations including Hospitals, Health Centres, Offices and Houses.

DEPARTMEnT OF FInAnCE GUIDELInES (CIRCULAR 10/10)The most significant development in the area of facilitating the SME sector has been the introduction of new guidelines from the Department Finance (Circular 10/10). The new arrangements include greater open advertising, a reduced requirement for paperwork, accounts etc., and an assurance that all criteria used are proportionate and appropriate. These actions are consistent with the recently EU commissioned research on SME access to, and participation in, public procurement opportunities.

All public sector tenders over €25,000 are now being advertised on e-Tenders, and I am confident that the Civil Service and wider public sector are adopting the guidance set out in Circular 10/10. Training is not an issue as applying the guidance set down in Circular 10/10 is routine.

Exhibition & Library Shopopen seven days a week

Admission TimesMonday to Saturday 09.30 to 17.00

Sunday (October to April) 12.00 to 16.30Sunday (May to September) 09.30 to 16.30

Tel: 896 2320 | Fax: 896 2690Email: [email protected] | www.bookofkells.ie

T r i n i T y C o l l e g e l i b r a r y D u b l i n

The Bookof Kells

‘Turning Darkness into Light’

TCLD_A4.indd 1 22/01/2010 16:21:15


educational Tours Award

Book of KellsThe Book of Kells is a magnet for tourists with half a million tourists queuing up to view the world famous manuscripts every year.

The Book of Kells is one of the most famous manuscripts in the world and was completed in about 800 AD. It is the centrepiece of an exhibition which attracts over 500,000 visitors to Trinity College Dublin each year. The vellum (calfskin) manuscript contains transcriptions of the four Gospels, lavishly illustrated and ornamented. It is the most elaborate manuscript of its kind to survive from the early Middle Ages.

While the Book of Kells is one of the most important tourism draws in Dublin, Anne-Marie Diffley, Visitor Services Manager at Trinity College Library says that the vast proportion of visitors come from overseas and they are keen to address the imbalance and encourage a greater number of domestic visitors. “90% of our visitors are from overseas with 10% being the local market,” she says. “We would like to increase visitors from the local market and obviously the public sector would be part of this as it accounts for 350,000 potential visitors!

“So, we are absolutely delighted to have won this award! The Book of Kells is one of Ireland’s most important icons and part of our history and culture. Our visitor numbers are up by 11% already this year and we will have in excess of 500,000 visitors. We would like to attract more visitors in the shoulder season between October and April. We also have temporary exhibitions which show some of the rich collections of manuscripts & early printed books in the long Room. The current exhibition is Troubled Magnificence; France under Louis XIV.”

The scribes and artists who created the Book of Kells were monks

who lived in a monastery on the remote island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. The monastery was founded late in the sixth century by an Irish monk, St Colmcille.

At the time the manuscript was produced, Irish monks were renowned throughout the rest of Europe for their work as scribes and illustrators.

The Book of Kells contains 680 pages (or 340 folios). Just two of the pages are not illustrated, while about thirty folios, including some major decorated pages, have been lost. The Book of Kells is the most famous manuscript in the Library of Trinity College Dublin where it is permanently on display.

The book contains complex scenes normally interpreted as the Arrest of Christ, His Temptation, and images of Christ, the Virgin and Child, St Matthew and St John. Originally a single volume, it was rebound in four volumes in 1953 for conservation reasons. Two volumes are normally on display, one opened at a major decorated page, the other at a text opening.

For further information log onto: www.bookofkells.ie

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Mobility Solutions Award

Adapted LivingThe wide range of quality products available from Adapted Living greatly enhance the quality of life enjoyed by the elderly and others with impaired mobility.

Based on Bridge Street in Tipperary Town, Adapted Living is part of the B.D.D. Ltd. Company which was established in 2004. It provides a range of high quality products for people with impaired mobility, the most notable being the company´s stairlifts which can be fitted to both straight and curved stairs and which serve as an ideal solution for older citizens who find climbing up and down the stairs both difficult and dangerous. The company also supplies mobility scooters, recliner chairs and beds, bathlifts and hand rails. It can also undertake bedroom and bathroom extensions and provide level access showers and wet rooms.

The most popular of the company´s product range is the stairlift which ensures that those with restricted mobility are not prohibited from accessing their entire house. A stairlift is easy to use and an effective, practical and reliable solution which can be fitted to the vast majority of staircases, including curved staircases. It is also a virtually instantaneous solution in terms of providing people with reduced mobility access to the upstairs bedrooms and bathroom and a significantly more cost effective alternative to having to construct these facilities on the ground floor.

Adapted Living also provides a design consultancy service to assist people to adapt their living environment.

Quality is the hallmark of the company and according to Tony Kennedy, General Manager of Adapted Living, they will use the award to market their products and services to the relevant public sector bodies, which are an important market for the company. “We were delighted with the award and consider it a great honour to be selected and recognised for the quality of the products and service which we offer our clients,” he says.

The quality of the company´s products have been a key factor in the growth and development of the company and a significant proportion of its business is derived through recommendations and word-of-mouth referrals. “The first priority is to provide

excellent products and we also strive to maintain a superior level of service within the required time frame and to the satisfaction of each of our customers. We ensure that all our work is of the highest standard and this is a key factor in ensuring the high level of referrals and recommendations which has been very important to our business,” says Tony.

According to Tom, Adapted Living is currently focused on growing and developing the business while ensuring that its high standards of personal service are not compromised in the process. “Our aim is to become the market leader in our specialised service in the Munster area and beyond.”

However, many of those who have availed of the company´s products and experienced its high level of customer service would argue that this objective has already been amply realised.

The highly trained staff at Adapted Living are happy to be of assistance with any inquires. For further information contact: 062 33975 or log onto: www.adaptedliving.ie

ADAPTED Living

Bunratty, Co Clare, irelandwww.bunrattycastlehotel.com


Corporate retreat & entertainment Award

retreat to Bunratty Bunratty Castle Hotel is an enticing retreat located in one of Ireland’s most popular villages and with some of the country’s most scenic areas and a host of leading tourism attractions at its doorstep.

Nestled in the heart of Bunratty one of Ireland’s most famous village and just five miles from Shannon Airport and a stones throw from the famous 15th century Bunratty Castle - the manor-style Bunratty Castle Hotel & Luxury Spa is an elegant and charming hotel which offers the highest standards of accommodation and hospitality.

Bunratty Castle Hotels offers a diverse range of luxurious rooms decorated with Georgian, medieval and traditional country house themes and each with a full complement of modern facilities including air conditioning, complimentary high speed internet access, satellite T.V. and 24 hour room service. Each of the hotel’s guestrooms have been tastefully decorated using traditional fabrics and warm comfortable colour schemes to create that ‘home away from home’ feeling.

The hospitality and entertainment is second to none and Kathleen’s Irish Pub & Restaurant which is situated within the hotel offers great food and a lively atmosphere in a traditional relaxing environment. It also hosts regular traditional Irish music sessions and a Traditional Irish Night. For enthusiasts of fine food, Il’Pomodoro Restaurant prepares Italian dishes using fine local produce and offers an extensive selection of wines and beers from Italy and around the world.

The Bunratty Castle Hotel boasts a wealth of leisure facilities including a health club and leisure spa which features a state-of-the-art gym, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and pool with hydro therapy jets. Meanwhile, at the Angsana Spa guests can indulge in an oasis

of relaxation and avail of a range of holistic treatments from experienced Thai therapists to rejuvenate body and soul.

Apart from visiting the famous Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, visitors are spoilt for choice in terms of the variety of amenities and leisure pursuits which are convenient to the hotel. Bunratty itself offers a variety of shops and gourmet restaurants while other easily accessible sights include the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Galway and Connemara while there are also numerous top quality golf courses in the area.

Welcoming news of the Public Sector Magazine Award of Excellence in Business for corporate retreat and entertainment, Lee Gregson, General Manager at the hotel, says that Bunratty Castle Hotel’s commitment to creating a strong offering to its clients and fulfilling their requirements has always been a major part of his teams core values. “It is without doubt that our extremely flexible approach to any request has formed the strong foundations that our business stands upon, enabling Bunratty Castle Hotel to continue on with class leading performance within our sector,” he said.

Ireland‘s Leading Provider of Professional Translation and Interpreting Service

Telephone 1890 707 707 Email: [email protected]


Translation Services Award

word PerfectWord Perfect Translation Services Ltd. was formed in response to the need for professional and expert translation and interpretation services in a changing and vibrant multilingual Ireland.

Established in 2001 by Olga Shajaku and Jimmy Gashi, Word Perfect Translations provides services in the interpreting and translations market. According to Jimmy, the company was set up to take advantage of the comparatively high level of demand for the services of professional translators in Ireland. “Ireland has in recent times earned a reputation for being a multilingual society and this is particularly acute in the business world,” he says. “Essentially, we established the company with a view to meeting the various requirements of different governmental and non-governmental establishments. It is our policy to ensure that we provide the strictest confidential, professional and prompt service in order to help to establish communication between the non-natives and authorities and clients. To achieve this goal we are currently providing intensive training for our interpreters in order to make sure that the interpretation services are carried out in accordance with the ethics of interpretation standards and that all of the specific requirements are met.”

Since it was founded, the company has enjoyed unprecedented growth. In addition to its permanent members of staff, it also employs a vast number of freelance interpreters and translators from all corners of the globe making the company one of the largest suppliers of translation and interpretation services in Ireland. It operates on a 24 hour day basis, 365 days a year meaning that it can provide a translator or interpreter any time, day or night - all year round. Word Perfects achievements have been recognised by a number of awards including; Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist; Emerging Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year; Young Business Woman of the Year by Image Magazine & Brown Thomas.

The public sector is an important market for Word Perfect Translation Services Ltd. and the company’s substantial client base includes a considerable number of public sector bodies. Some of the organisations to which it provides linguistic assistance (translating and interpreting) include: The Courts Service, Hospitals, An Garda Síochána, The Refugee Legal Service, FÁS, The Refugee Appeals Tribunal, The Office of the Refugee Appeals Commissioner, The Probation Services, The Department of Justice, Northern Ireland Regional Supplies Service, Pensions Ombudsman, The Citizens, Information Board, Quinn Direct Insurance and ESB International to name but a few. “Nearly all Public Sector bodies must tender for business and Word Perfect Translations Services Ltd. are delighted to

have successfully bidded for and won a vast number of these tenders,” says Jimmy.

The quality and professionalism of the service provided by Word Perfect Translation Services has been a key factor in its success and the company is a certified translation provider in accordance with the standards set out in the European Quality standard EN15038:2006. “We were one of the first service providers to achieve EN15038:2006 certification which is the industry standard for translation,” says Jimmy. “Word Perfect Translation Services Ltd. is also an ISO9001-2008 certified company and we were amongst the first language service providers in Ireland to implement fully the ISO9001-2008 quality assurance system. Within the industry, it is estimated that fewer than 5% of firms have this quality system in place. This testifies to our commitment not

only to maintain the high standards of our services but to continuously strive to improve them. Word Perfect Translation Services is also a corporate member of the Irish Translators and Interpreters Association (ITIA).”

Word Perfect Translation Services Limited has also expanded into the international arena by launching offices in Moscow and Almaty and while Jimmy points out that the immediate objectives is to continue to provide high quality professional and prompt interpretation and translation services to its clients, the company is also looking into other areas of expansion.

Jimmy is confident that the Public Sector Magazine Excellence in Business Award will assist the company to further promote its business throughout the Public Sector. “We are delighted to have won the Excellence in Business Award which is awarded to companies who can demonstrate outstanding service, continuity, track record and general excellence in business to the Public Sector,” he says. “We intend to put information regarding the Award on our website and in future business proposals; along with all of the other awards we have won to date.”


Jobs Policy

Action Plan for JobsThe Government has committed to delivering a multi-annual Action Plan for Jobs, with quarterly targets for delivery every year and a monitoring group to oversee implementation.

Announcing the plan he Government stated that its objective is to make Ireland the best small country in Europe in which to do business by 2016, and the ‘Action Plan for Jobs’ seeks to deliver on that ambition. In it’s statement the Government said that it recognises the crucial need for an ambitious programme of job-creating and pro-growth measures alongside the restructuring of the public finances and banking systems.

In January the Government will publish its first annual Action Plan for Jobs, which will contain a series of measures from across the entire range of Government activity to be implemented during 2012, with quarterly targets to be hit. It will be a whole process involving all the Departments.

Reporting into the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Jobs, an implementation group consisting of representatives from the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Forfás will be charged with ensuring that these targets are achieved.

The Goverment has discussed a wide range of initiatives which will be contained in January’s Action Plan and they include measures to help combat the problems that businesses at all levels face in accessing credit:

The establishment of a Micro Finance Loan Fund to generate up to €100million in additional micro-enterprise lending which will benefit over 5,000 businesses over a ten year period has

been sanctioned and the Fund is expected to be put in place in the first quarter of 2012

A further measure to facilitate credit access includes the establishment of a Temporary Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton has begun the process of drafting legislation and will appoint an operator for the Scheme which will also be in place in the first quarter of next year. The scheme will be demand-led, and every €100 million guaranteed will benefit over 1200 businesses, and provide at least €15million in net benefit to the exchequer.

MICRO FInAnCE LOAn SCHEMEThe Government also signed off on the establishment of a Micro Finance Loan Fund, to provide loans on a commercial basis for start-up businesses and micro-enterprises. It is expected that the businesses that will primarily benefit will be those at the margins of commercial lending decisions. The Scheme will use an additional exchequer investment of €10million to leverage further funds from private sources. Over a ten year period, the scheme has the potential to provide up to €100million in additional lending to micro-enterprises. The Scheme will be demand-led and the amount of funds provided will depend on the demand from viable businesses

The establishment of a Micro Finance Loan Fund will benefit over 5,00 businesses


Jobs Policy

In addition approximately €60million is being made available under Innovation Fund Ireland.

The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore also announced the agreement on a series of measures arising from the Global Irish Forum while other initiatives sanctioned by Government include those arising from the recommendations of the Report of the Small Business Advisory Group presented recently by Minister for Small Business John Perry to the Taoiseach. .

Making the announcement, the Taoiseach said: “The Government’s top priority is jobs. The challenge for all of us is to bring our national finances under control in a manner that still supports jobs and enterprise. During this budget process the guiding principle when taking decisions has been to support jobs and growth. But we also need to be ambitious for the future and so the target of Government remains creating 100,000 extra jobs by 2015. This will be part achieved by delivering on my promise to make Ireland the best small country in the world to do business.”

The Tánaiste also said that creating jobs and restoring economic growth are the Government’s highest priorities. “ The particular initiatives that we are announcing today are important components in our overall strategy to promote enterprise and innovative companies, and will make a significant contribution to the development of the enterprise sector,” he said.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said that the Government recognises that in addition to measures to restore our public finances it is also vital to implement measures, which will make it easier for job-creating businesses to expand, grow and create jobs. “Government does not create jobs, people and businesses do,” he said. “That is why, in these difficult times, we must implement a series of radical reforms in order to make it easier for those businesses to create jobs. We must put indigenous businesses at the core of our job-creation strategy. We must build on clusters of strength and remove barriers to help companies be more innovative and win new markets.

“This Government is highly ambitious about the number of jobs we must create in Ireland and the growth we can achieve, and we have set ourselves tough targets not only to exit this

crisis but to become world leaders. The Taoiseach is determined that we will become the best small country in Europe in which to do business by 2016; I have said before that we should aim to have two million people back at work by 2020, and also set ambitious targets for exports and competitiveness.

“So as to ensure that we do not go down the road of recent governments and make big announcements which are then forgotten about, this will be a rolling programme with strict targets for delivery and systems to monitor implementation. Commitments will be renewed and updated every year. Quarterly targets will be set, and delivery monitored. In this way, I am convinced that we can hit our targets and get people back to work”.

Minister Richard Bruton Tanaister Eamon Gilmore Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

ACTIOn PLAn FOR JOBSThe Action Plan for Jobs will address seven principal areas:1. Improving competitiveness and intensifying competition in

sheltered sectors2. Supporting indigenous start-ups3. Assisting indigenous business to grow4. Attracting inward entrepreneurial start-ups5. Developing and deepening the impact of FDI6. Developing employment initiatives within the community7. Exploiting sectoral opportunities, including

•Health/LifeSciences•SilverTech•GreenEconomy•ICT•Cloudcomputing•Digitalgaming•Agri-Food•TourismandSport•FinancialServices

An implementation monitoring group will be established to ensure that quarterly delivery targets are delivered by each relevant Department or Agency. This group will comprise representatives from the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Forfás.


road Safety Award

Safety FirstKildare County Council has demonstrated an impressive commitment to improving road safety in the county in recent years.

Huge efforts have been made in recent years to reduce the number of deaths on Irish roads, with big budget ad campaigns, tighter restrictions on drink driving and penalty point systems being introduced. Many of these schemes have been implemented by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), which was established in 2006. The number of Irish road deaths fell to 212 in 2010, the lowest level on record, down 26 from 2009. In fact, the Government’s road safety target of achieving no more than 252 deaths per annum by the end of 2012 was

achieved three years ahead of schedule.

With the help of the RSA, county councils throughout the country have been active in reinforcing the messages and implementing other various schemes to ensure their roads are safe for drivers. In particular, Kildare County Council are dedicated to their road safety programmes and invest great interest, passion and pride in their schemes to help protect the people of Kildare and visitors to the County. This important work has resulted in them receiving a Public Sector Magazine award, a vindication for all their efforts that has pleased the entire team.

“I am delighted to have received this award,” says Kildare County Council’s road safety officer Declan Keogh. “It is great news that the Local Authority is recognised for the support it gives to me as road safety officer.”

Keogh has overseen a number of imaginative initiatives intended to save lives on the road. The most famous one being the Garda car cut-out which was part of his ‘Speeding Kills – Cut it Out’ campaign. This caused a major stir among many motorists when a fake ‘Garda Car’ was placed on roadsides across the county, fixed securely on a mound, off the road and off the hard shoulder, facing on-coming traffic. But even with these creative schemes, Keogh still believes that education is the most important factor when it comes to road safety. “Education and awareness is the key to road safety promotion and this is an area where much of my work is focused. We concentrate on schools on all levels, in addition to attending every single outdoor event, festival and parades – Kildare County Council Road Safety is at all of these events for the purpose of road safety promotion.”

Having received the award, Keogh is confident it will help to assist him in his efforts in lowering road deaths and, convinced there is more work to be done, he has no intention in taking his foot off the peddle.“In the short term, I will be continuing to promote road safety, and I will also link with road safety officers in other Local Authority’s for combined road safety events and campaigns, such as a recent regional road safety road show that was held in Portlaoise. We hope to roll out more of these types of combined or regional events in the months ahead.”


Therapy Award

HydromassageWhirlpools, air-spas, back massage tubs, walk in shower baths. Irish designed and manufactured

Hydrotherapy Benefits

n Hydrotherapy is also associated with the relief of several debilitating health ailments. These ailments include constant joint pain from arthritis, muscular pain and stiffness, migraine and tension headaches, poor circulation, relief from premenstrual cramps, and healing from sports injuries, back pain.

n Hydrotherapy Reduces the Appearance of Celluliten Immersion in warm water raises the body temperature resulting

in increased circulation allowing muscles to rejuvenate and heal.n The buoyancy of water reduces body weight by up to 90%,

allowing muscles and joints to relax and recover.

n The massaging action of a whirlpool relaxes tense muscles, improves circulation and leaves the bather physically and mentally relaxed.

n The Advanz Optima system is one of the most hygienic hydro massage bath tubs available in Europe.

n There is also a wide range of optional accessories such as neck massage, water heater, pillows and under water lights.

n Each system can be customized to individual requirements, and budget. Your choice is endless.

Advanz Hydrotherapy, Tallaght IDA Business Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Tel: +35314596705, Fax +3531 4596706 [email protected], www.advanz.ie


Hydrotherapy Award

Health through HydrotherapyAdvanz Hydrotherapy design and manufacture a wide range of hydroptherapy solutions ranging from whirlpools to air spas and back massage tubs – all of which are designed and manufactured in Ireland and provide relief from a number of debilitating health ailments.

The major health problems which can be alleviated by the hydrotherapy available from Advanz include joint pain from arthritis, muscular pain and stiffness, migraine tension headaches, poor circulation, painful premenstrual cramps, sports injuries and back pain. Hydrotherapy can also help to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

The Advanz systems relieve tense muscles, improve circulation and leave you feeling physically and mentally relaxed. Being immersed in water raises the temperature of the body which enhances the circulation and helps to rejuvenate and heal while the buoyancy of water reduces body weight by up to 90 per cent and allows muscles and joints to relax and recover. The massaging action of a whirlpool also helps the process.

The Advanz systems are easy to install and low on running costs while Advanz offer an excellent support and after sales service. Each system can be customised to suit individual requirements and budgets while the Advanced hydrotherapy system can be fitted to almost any bath. There is an endless selection of products to choose from and retail prices range from as low as €600 to up to €7000 for a top-of the range system.

The Advanz Optima System is one of the company´s premium hydrotherapy products and is regarded as one of the most hygienic hydro massage bath tubs available in Europe.

According to Managing Director Pat Griffin, the company’s principal market has traditionally been within the niche consumer sector and the public sector market for its products is limited and fragmented. However, he says the company is delighted to have won the award which he is hopeful will assist the company in making further inroads into the public sector while also helping to promote the brand within established markets. “We were not expecting it and are absolutely delighted to have won the award,” he says. “The market is extremely challenging at

present and we are essentially focussed on survival so it is difficult to know the extent to which the award will help us in terms of generating new business. However, we will be using it to increase general brand awareness and in promoting our products to our retail customers.”

The key message which the company is seeking to convey to potential customers is that they supply the most hygienic system in Europe and the fact that its products can be customised to suit individual users. The new hydro massage system to target back pain and the patented super jet which can be positioned to help relief muscular pain in all areas of the back are also key products and feature prominently in the company’s marketing campaigns.

According to Griffin, the company has responded to the recession “by sharply refocusing our products to address consumer functional needs” and it is prioritising issues such as cost control and productivity and efficiency gains so that they will hopefully be ready to take advantage of any upturn in market.

CALVEN MOBILITYBallincrokig, Whites Cross,

Cork, IrelandPH: +353214303521

CALVEN MOBILITY


Vehicle Accessible Award

independent LivingCalven Mobility has been in the business of adapting vehicles for over two decades, specialising in vehicle conversions for people with mobility problems and other disabilities. A small, family business with a proud history of giving independent mobility to people with the need, the company’s ethos has always been based on the motto that “only the best is good enough.”

Established and based in Cork, today Calven is the largest adaptor of cars outside of Dublin. For drivers, passengers and carers, every adaptation is refined and finished to the highest standards and the company provides a comprehensive advisory service on all aspects of disability transport, driver ability assessment and tuition.

Calven was founded by Michael O’Callaghan, who explained how he became involved in the business. “When I was young a friend who was paraplegic asked me for my help in adapting his car. This was the springboard to where I am now. I’ve always had the desire to be self-employed, not purely for financial reasons but for self-gratification and the want to put into operation some ideas I’ve always had.”

As just a small company doing a job that often goes unnoticed, O’Callaghan was thrilled to receive the Public Sector Magazine Excellence in Business Award for Vehicle Conversions and Solutions. “I am delighted that the company has been honoured in this way. We are thrilled that the work we do was recognised by an independent body where there was no bias,” he says. “It is a ‘true award’ in that sense.”

O’Callaghan describes himself as an introvert by nature, and when not working his life is run by seven kids and 14 grandchildren who are “always ticking away in the background.” He has worked with cars most of his life and believes his experience held him in good stead when it came to launching his business. “The first thing I studied (when I began working with cars) was the Japanese way of thinking. One of the best things I learned was the Japanese wheelbarrow theory – a wheelbarrow only requires minimum parts,” he highlights.

But despite his assertions, much of O’Callaghan’s work requires a touch more than just a couple of nuts and bolts. Among the adaptations available for drivers provided by O’Callaghan and his team include an easy release handbrake, fingertip control of indicators, wipers and lights, left leg operation of accelerator and brake, assist aids for entry and exit, automatic operation of wheelchair loading and unloading, and seat repositioning and reversal aids. Adaptations for passengers include swivel seats and

a boot lift for wheelchairs, manual or electric. The whole operation sounds rather complex, but O’Callaghan stresses the importance of keeping things simple and good man management. “Simplicity is the key,” he notes. “I am like the conductor of an orchestra – I am the boss – but would never tell an oboe player how to play the oboe. I work on the KISS theory: Keep It Simple Stupid.”

www.thepublicsector.org

Thepublicsectorjournal.ie is a website dedicated to issues relevant to the public sector. Featuring the latest news, reports and key interviews as well as previous editions of The Public Sector Journal to view online, it is an ideal medium for businesses , public sector management and employees, and indeed anyone interested in up-to-date information on the latest issues affecting Ireland’s public services.

Suppliers GuideThe website also features a dedicated suppliers guide for companies who wish to promote their products and services to procurement officers and key decision makers in the public services. Clients interested in advertising in this section should contact Operations Manager, John Taggart. Email: [email protected]

ireland’s most comprehensive online information resource for the public sector.

Anyone interested in contributing news or editorial should contact Managing Editor, Tommy Quinn. [email protected]


document Management Award

The Persona TouchEstablished in September 1995, Persona (formerly known as Irish International Print) has developed into one of the leading print and direct mail solutions companies in Ireland, offering a first rate end-to-end document management service.

The company provides a number of services in print, direct mail, transactional and security. Their combined print capability and print management model is driven and managed by leading technology that enables the company to realise maximum benefits for the marketing and purchasing budgets of their clients.

With a big importance now being placed on data security,

Persona offers clients ISO 27001 (The International Data Standard). This is a big comfort to customers as it enables the company to handle a project from start to finish, offering a full ‘Host to Post’ service, which includes proven expertise in data services, security print production, direct mail fulfillment and postal solutions. “We have invested in the highest security standards and the most up to date production equipment to give our customers an end-to-end document management service,” says Carolyn Keogh, Business Development Director at Persona. “We have the scale, speed, agility and flexibility to make the impossible happen for our customers.”

The group supplies printing services to most of the public sector. This includes everything from revenue forms, annual return forms, exam papers, NCT certificates and insurance documents for major insurance companies. Persona print every social welfare cheque in the country, along with paymaster general cheques, revenue cheques, bank statements, birth certificates, marriage certificates and vehicle licence certificates to name but a few. With the public sector making up so much of their business, Keogh says they were delighted to receive their award. “Winning this award is recognition of the effort and lengths we have gone to to provide the best in industry standards for the sector,” she says. “The public sector is very important to us as a group. Each division within the group has its own specialty and together we supply printing services and solutions for most areas of the public sector.”

Despite a difficult business environment and digital media threatening the print industry in general, management at Persona are bullish about the future. They recently merged four distinct operations into one premises, meaning that government departments that require a fast turnaround can have their job delivered within 24 hours. With web printing and digital printing all under one roof, no matter what the job or what the timescale, they are equipped. Indeed, the company, as a whole, has performed well in the last year and has some important new services coming online in 2012, which they hope will be well received by current clients and help to attract potential customers. “These services, alongside our investment in new equipment, will keep us at the top of our game for the next few years,” asserts Keogh. “We guarantee that our customers in the public sector will have access to the best in all the document management services we provide.”


Public Sector News

Outsourcing OpportunitiesIreland has lagged behind other countries in recognising the contriubtion which the private sector can make in delivering more effective and cost efficient public services.

The concept of engaging the private sector to carry out work which was traditionally the preserve of the public work is a contentious issue in Ireland and one which trade unions and other vested interests have largely opposed. While the UK has long recognised the contribution which the private sector can make in the delivery of public services Ireland has lagged behind in this area and outsourcing has been limited to a small selection of managed services rather than any large strategic managed services or outsourcing deals

Many other countries, including the UK, the US, Australia and Canada have made significantly more progress in relation to outsourcing of certain functions undertaken by the public sector and the results have been largely positive in relation to costs savings and the quality of service delivery. In the UK, many of its boroughs and councils have partnered with the private sector in the delivery of many of their activities and in some cases council have entirely handed over management of large swathes of functions to private sector operators. There are similar examples in the US, Australia, Canada and many other countries where significant volumes of non-core public services and functions have been outsourced to both domestic and overseas service providers in order to reduce costs and improve service quality.

Critics of outsourcing typically argue that it gives rise to intense industrial relations disputes which are virtually impossible to surmount and the UK is frequently mentioned as an example where outsourcing of any significant scale has failed to deliver the results anticipated. However, the UK has made considerably more progress than Ireland in relation to outsourcing and has achieved

a number of notable successes. In 2000, UK savings group National Savings & Investments outsourced key elements of their operations, along with more than 4,000 civil servants, to Siemens Business Services and by last year, the UK government estimated that the deal has delivered savings of around stg £500m.

Since a report was published in 2007 by Sir David Varney in 2007 which outlined major opportunities to strengthen public sector delivery to enable it to meet changing citizen and business expectations, the UK Government has increased public sector outsourcing by a further £20 billion or the equivalent of a 50% increase over a three year period. While the report cited outsourcing as a solution which had proved successful in many cases, it also acknowledged the difficulties which it presents and highlighted examples where it had proven ineffective and counter productive.

Many organisations had fallen foul of poor outsourcing procedures from having rushed into it too quickly from the outset, having badly structured outsourcing deals or finding out that they had selected a supplier that was incompatible. However, on the whole, the report made clear that outsourcing had worked to deliver substantially better value for money for the UK taxpayer over the previous decade.

Some advocates of outsourcing tend to focus exclusively on the immediate potential costs savings and neglect the detailed planning which is required before going to tender , particularly with respect to major outsourcing initiatives. A 2009 survey on outsourcing - carried out among large companies in the US, UK and Europe - showed that over 30% of firms were unaware of the total cost of the proper governance required for an outsourcing


Public Sector News

deal. Likewise, just 16% said they had a suitable governance model for managing the outsourcing of services.

To minimise the potential problems highlighted in the Varney report, it is necessary to be clear about the type of Government services which can be outsourced to best affect and to consider the measures which can be taken to limit the risk associated with outsourcing. The report from An Bord Snip, led by Colm McCarthy which highlighted the potential for outsourcing to deliver cost savings for the Irish public sector said that activities which lend themselves to outsourcing typically have the following attributes: high volume processing, involve large headcounts, have consistent requirements; demand measurable performance; and are efficiency focused.

Activities that generally match these criteria include IT services, outsourcing work can cover call centre services, transaction processing, HR & payroll services, accounting, administration, treasury & finance, claims management, logistics support as well as cleaning and catering services.

There is considerable scope for increasing the level of both shared services and outsourcing in the Irish public service according to the the report which states that the main benefits to the Exchequer will derive from significant efficiencies and savings on the delivery of schemes. “Accordingly, the Group’s general recommendation is that the possibilities of outsourcing services should be actively pursued in each area of the public service with a view to building on the savings obtained through the successful launching of shared services initiatives. The approach should involve pilot projects which can be put in place quickly in areas such as accounts and payment processing. At the minimum, we recommend that all new start-up operations in the public service should be structured along these lines.”

The Group points out other areas where the outsourced approach could yield substantial savings and identifies Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as one sector in which shared services solutions should be actively explored. Approximately 1,300 staff work in ICT in the civil service at an estimated cost of €65m a year. In addition, the civil service spends just under €200m a year on external ICT resources (consultancies, contractors and external service providers) and on ICT support and maintenance services. Substantial additional costs are incurred on hardware, software, telecommunications and training.

In outline, the Group has identified that greater sharing of ICT facilities and services, commensurate with improvements in the skills and knowledge of ICT staff and recruitment of ICT specialists from the market, can lead to a considerable reduction in the current costs of ICT provision. The Group notes that the Government has instructed a 50% reduction in the use of external ICT resources and the development of plans by each public body to increase their ICT self-sufficiency.

To facilitate these Government decisions, the Group has identified opportunities for greater use of centralised shared approaches to ICT services and data centre facilities and proposes that the Department of Finance spearheads efforts to develop and implement these. Examples include email, file and print serving, anti-virus services, anti-spam services, content filtering, office productivity software, information repositories, payroll solutions, refurbishment and shared use of some of the existing computer centres in Departments and Offices.

The Group also proposes that each Department and Office

should, on the back of detailed advice from the Department of Finance, put together an ICT skills map to identify opportunities for reskilling and retraining existing ICT staff, redeploying staff from ICT to other administrative areas, and plugging shortfalls through competitive process that would include judicious use of external recruitment of ICT specialists. Such recruitment should be subject to a demonstrable reduction in overall numbers in the ICT area in each organisation, and a demonstrable reduction in the overall expenditure on the use of external resources.

Finally, the Group proposes that consideration be given to the use of an IT Advisory Group comprising senior independent ICT practitioners from medium-large companies in Ireland. Such a group would enable senior ICT policymakers and operations managers in the civil service to network with and learn from peers in the private sector.

The main plank of the Government’s recently announced public service reform plan is to achieve a dramatic reduction in numbers employed which is expected to yield savings in payroll costs of up to €2.5 billion by 2015. It has also targeted further savings arising from “very lucrative efficiencies in relation to public procurement, shared services between public bodies and greater use of e-government.”

However there is expected to be a sharp rise in the number of staff departing the public service services in advance of pension changes due in February and this is likely to put further pressure on the provision of services. Progress in relation to increasing use of shared services, improving access for all parts of the public service to data provided by the public and better e-government facilities will also be critical to freeing up staffing resources and providing for greater efficiencies.

Launching the plan, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin said that the first quarter of next year public bodies will be identifying potential non-core activities suitable for external service delivery. However, trade unions have already highlighted that they are likely to oppose any significant efforts to outsource public sector and the services and health service organiser with SIPTU Paul Bell warned that the the time was approaching for the trade union movement to confront the issue of outsourcing of frontline staff work.

Bell warned that it had never been agreed that a reduction in the number of health workers would take the form of a crude culling tool, whereby private sector interests would be given licence to expand their empires at the expense of his members and the public purse.

Colm McCarthy


Transport Award

drive in StyleDriving down the cost of business transport, delivering quality through service is the motto employed by Optimum Chauffeur and it is serving the company well in a difficult business environment.

Optimum Chauffeur Driver Ltd. take enormous pride in their levels of customer services and it has always been central to how they do business, according to Mary Cunningham, Director at the company. “We consistently get very positive feedback from clients who appreciate the service and consistency they receive, but

to receive a formal award of this nature further reinforces this and it means so much to us,” she says. “We are delighted and honored to receive the 2011 Award of Excellence, and will be delighted to share this great news with all of our clients both in the Public And Private Sectors.”

Optimum provide a comprehensive range of chauffeur services tailored to meet the precise needs of its clients. The company provides a 24 hour a day service, 365 days a year and has a wide range of vehicles at its disposal including Mercedes E and S Class Saloons, BMW 7 series, Limousines, Hummer Limousines, MPV’s, Vintage Cars, Minibuses and Coaches.

The Public sector is a very important sector for all businesses, and Optimum is no exception according to Mary. “We highly value the relationship we have with many public sector clients, and have always worked very hard to provide the best levels of service possible, while being mindful of the constant need to show value, particularly in the public sector,” she says. “This award is validation that we have managed to deliver this value but still uphold our high service levels, and we are honored to have been put forward and to have won such a prestigious accolade.”

Since the company was established Optimum has enjoyed a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with a number of public sector bodies and they have remained good clients through both good times and bad. In terms of promotions they monitor the e tenders website for new opportunities in the public sector but Mary had always held the view that the company’s best sales people are its clients and the best promotional tool is good service and consistent quality. This has been the case in the public sector with Optimum being recommended between departments or being contacted by former clients after they have moved to a new role.

The company has a keen reputation for value for money and reliability and Mary believes that these qualities are more important than ever in the current climate. “Our primary attributes are and always have been value for money and extreme reliability and this is more important now than ever. Our public sector clients are under immense pressure both in terms of budgetary constraints and the growing importance of their roles to the country. Like all of our clients public sector departments are seeing tightening of budgets in areas such as travel and transport but by the nature of the public service, the added pressure to “get it right” is immense,” she says.

“Optimum can help to ensure that events and functions not only run seamlessly but that they are also cost effective and an efficient use of resources. One example of such an event was the President Obama visit, an event that brought the country an immeasurable amount of positive press when it was needed most but in which not one cent was wasted and every opportunity to reduce the cost was taken at no impact to the success of the event. It is through working closely on events such as this that Optimum can help our public sector clients and I would say the ability to partner in this way is a key selling point.”

In the short term the company is focussed on continuing to provide consistent value and service to its clients and while cost control is important in the current climate, Mary is not prepared to undertake any measures which might compromise the quality of service provided by the company. “Many companies out there are cutting costs but at the expense of the service levels they provide, we don’t operate like that and neither do our clients, so a huge focus for us is in helping clients do more with their budgets. For example we have undertaken many transport audits or reviews for clients in which we reviewed their current chauffeur car policies and usage and proposed many savings initiatives, one example being car sharing.

“In the medium term we are focused very much on growing the business but only at a rate that allows us to be as committed to our clients as we have always been, there is no point in growing revenue in the short term if it impacts on the service you provide.”

Mary is confident that the award will assist in further promoting the company to public sector organisations. “The magazine is very highly regarded within the public sector. We had many calls congratulating us after the award and it was a great recognition of the efforts that we put into making sure our public sector clients are successful, so it has already started to help promote us. To build on that, it is something that we will be mentioning very prominently on our web pages and promotional literature, both to public and private sector clients as it is something we are very proud of and we will also reference it in any future tender documents. It was a great achievement for us and one we want to make all our clients, both current and prospective aware of.”

For further information contact Optimum Chauffeur Drive Ltd. Tel: 01 814 8873 Fax: + 353 1 8148874 Email: [email protected] Web: www.optimumchauffeurdrive.ie


Public Sector news

Speaking at the opening of Tax Assist, a new accountancy and tax advice service for small businesses and taxpayers, Lucinda Creighton, Minister for European Affairs, highlighted the role of small and medium sized enterprises in Ireland’s economic recovery. “Our SMEs will be crucial to our economic recovery. For them to succeed, we must remove as many obstacles and costs as possible. Access to competent, competitively priced financial advice is

SMES RECOvERy ROLE

BEyOnD THE RECESSIOn

an essential part of this. The World Bank league table on the costs and ease of doing business has us as Number 7 which is good, but we can do even better. We are seventh on the scale of ease of paying taxes. To have an efficient, client orientated tax collecting mechanism is an important priority. Transparency and efficiency in the public service, which supports growth in the economy is also crucial. Entrepreneurs are entitled to have competent and professional services at their disposal.

Because of major improvements tax compliance has become the norm.“It is our own, home-grown businesses that will lead us to strong, domestic growth again. If they cannot grow - Ireland cannot grow. I am proud of the Government’s achievements since coming to office in helping to create an environment in which business can survive and thrive.”The Minister spoke about the importance of the European Union to the Irish SME sector: “In my role as Minister for European Affairs, I am working with the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and my colleagues across Europe to resolve the Euro-zone crisis. The Euro is essential for Irish business. The European Union

provides us with direct access to a market of more than 500 million people. We are also working on the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy for growth across the Union which strives to strengthen the European SME sector. The biggest increases in Ireland’s exports have been to EU member states. But we need a greater opening and deepening of the Internal Market, which has to become the natural reference point and basis for a wider global growth on the part of Irish business.”

IBEC and PwC have published a new report which indicates that employment levels in Irish business will be back at pre-crisis levels by 2016, as exports continue to grow and domestic firms start exporting new services and products. Despite the fact that the research was conducted in October, during a time of great uncertainty right across the eurozone, it shows that the majority of firms remain positive on their business outlook and plan to increase investment and employment next year.

The report ‘Irish business beyond the recession’ shows: n Irish Firm will grow their turnover

by an average of 5% next years, while employments levels will increase by 25.

n Just over one-third of firms plan to increase employment next year and

by 2016, 60% of firms plan to have a larger workforce.

n Export sales will grow by 44% over the next five years while firms expect to see domestic sales increase by 22”, regaining all of the losses of recent years. Many firms operating in the domestic market plan to break into export markets in the coming years.

n Irish firms are currently operating at 75% capacity which is relatively low in both historical and international terms. This bodes well for Ireland’s potential economic growth rate.

n Irish companies plan to invest almost €6 billion on plant and machinery in 2012, a 10% increase on the 2011 spend.

Almost 70% of firms will invest in IT projects next year and about 50% will invest in plant and machinery.


Golf Tourism Award

welcome to the HeritageFrom luxuriously accommodation to a finely appointed health club and spa facilities and a stunning golf course designed by Seve Ballesteros, The Heritage Golf & Spa Resorts is a magnet for tourists, commercial clients and golfing enthusiasts.

One of Ireland’s leading five star hotels, The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort offers a range of luxury accommodation ranging from deluxe and superior guestrooms and junior suites to individually styled penthouse suites and luxury self catering accommodation in a choice of four bed golf homes, two bedroom on course suite apartments (villas) and Penthouse two bedroom spa apartments.

All the accommodation is appointed to the highest standards and offers an environment of uncompromising comfort and relaxation. The penthouse suites are particularly impressive and feature a palatial lounge and dining area, luxurious bathroom and a private balcony overlooking the golf course and the majestic Slieve Bloom Mountains.

The Heritage is one of the most renowned 5 star Golf Resorts Ireland has to offer and features a 72 par Championship golf course designed by Seve Ballesteros and Jeff Howes and set in the beautiful rolling countryside of Co. Laois - just one hour from Dublin. The Slieve Bloom Mountains provide a wonderful backdrop and five lakes and a stream meander through the course and brings water into play on 10 holes. 98 beautifully shaped bunkers and 7,000 trees adorn the landscape, which is very gently undulating without any climbing involved. A variety of tees allow the course to be played from 5,747 to 7,319 yards.

Health and fitness enthusiast are also well catered for at The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort and there is a spacious, self-contained Health Club located next to the Spa which offers extensive leisure facilities including: a dedicated fitness studio equipped with top-of-the range Techno gym exercise equipment with own TV & techno gym key a 15 metre leisure pool and an invigorating Jacuzzi. In addition, both the ladies and gent’s locker rooms feature separate sauna and steam rooms. There is a also a 5 km walking track.

The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort is also a premiere venue for corporate events, exhibitions & entertainment and has a wide variety of well - equipped boardrooms and meeting rooms together with a stunning 22,000 square foot exhibition arena. It is ideally equipped to provide first class corporate services and conference facilities and its clients can also avail of the services of a highly professional and dedicated events management team.

According to Niall Carroll, General Manager of The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort the principal selling point of the resort is the emphasis which it places on providing value for money and an exceptionally high level of customer service to its clients. The golf course is also the key feature for a substantial number of its clients. “The quality of our golf course is the main

selling point,” he says. “We are the only Seve Ballesteros designed golf course in Ireland and to honor the great man we have recently re named the golf course “The Ballesteros Course at The Heritage. We also provide exceptional value for money and customer service in our sector.”

Niall sees the award as providing recognition for its continuing efforts to maintain and improve their offering to customers. “ The public sector is a very important component of our market as it makes up a large chunk of our annual green fees,” he says. “We produce monthly mail shots to all our contacts to promote our offerings and we plan to use the award logo on all correspondence and ad campaigns. This will raise our awareness in the public sector when we will also target specific sectors going forward.”

In terms of the Resort’s aims and objectives Niall says that the priority is to grow revenue and in turn profitability. “Ideally in the medium term we want to grow membership with some new fantastic offerings now available,” he says. “This will in turn increase member participation on the golf course. with membership now open and no joining fee there has never been a better time to join our now award winning golf club.”


Furnishing Award

This time it’s personalDublin-based manufacturer of custom-made upholstery pieces, yours Personally, scooped the Interior Furnishings Services and Solutions Award at this year’s Public Sector Magazine Excellence in Business Awards.

Based in Dun Laoghaire, Yours Personally specialises in the design and manufacture of custom-built furniture and utilises the creativity of its talented and experienced design team which allows it clients to create upholstered furniture solutions to fit exacting spaces, style, colour and budget requirements.

“It is an honour for the team at Yours Personally to be given this award and to be acknowledged for their years of hard work. We continually strive to deliver a high level of quality service and to be recognised with an award like this is testament to the high standards that we continuously set ourselves,” says interior designer, Avril Mulligan.

The service from Yours Personally, while offering bespoke furniture pieces, also includes window treatments, fabric and wallpaper, rugs and carpets as well as furnishing accessories. Clients can choose from a fabric book collection that numbers over 1,000, while lengthy lead times are avoided as all work is carried out in onsite workshops, so no matter how small a job may seem the team at Yours Personally, take it very personally. “It is our policy to be available to do all jobs whether it is the recovery of a simple buscon chair for a hospital or an individually designed piece created for a foyer,” explains Mulligan.

Speaking about the award, Mulligan says that the company is committed to delivering on quality for all of its clients. “We provide the same high quality service to our private and public sector clients – there is really no differentiating between the two,” she says. “Working within budgets and deadlines without reducing our quality is extremely important because, as we see it, price, service and reliability are the key factors when running a service driven business, especially given the present business

climate and the constraints on budgets.”

The award, Mulligan says, now puts Yours Personally in the spotlight and she and the entire team are not about to let the opportunity pass to leverage it and show their unique talents to a whole host of potential new clients. “Of course, all positive promotions, like winning this award, will help any company and give credibility to their continuous hard work,” she says. “We will promote the fact that we won this award through our facebook page and through our monthly marketing text message, which goes out to all of our clients. Our achievement at this year’s ceremony will also feature prominently in our email newsletter which is distributed to our database of customers that we have done business with over the last couple of years.”

For Mulligan, the promotional message that goes with winning the award is clear. “Our key objectives over the immediate short-term and long-term is to promote the fact that Yours Personally manufactures and designs all of our upholstered furniture in Dun Laoghaire in Dublin,” she says. “Because of this we are in a unique position to offer a life-time guarantee on all of our work while at the same time back up the fact that we offer exquisite Irish-made products.”


Procurement Award

Broadband a Top Priority

Forfás has called for action on broadband delivery which it says represents the main infrastructure

investment priority for enterprise and it has outlined the steps necessary for the delivery of an

advanced broadband service in Ireland.


Procurement Award

Speaking at the launch of the recent Forfás report entitled ‘Ireland’s Advanced Broadband Performance and Policy Priorities’, Martin D. Shanahan, Chief Executive, Forfás said that delivering advanced broadband speed is the top infrastructure investment priority for enterprise. He said the availability of advanced broadband services offers significant development opportunities to Ireland to capture new growth for entrepreneurship and jobs in existing and emerging sectors such as digital media, cloud computing and education and said it was instrumental to achieving productivity growth, improving competitiveness across all sectors and in providing support for regional development. “The best solution for delivering advanced broadband services is that the market invests but in the event the market does not deliver, the State will need to intervene,” he said.

According to the report, the advanced broadband needs of ICT-intensive enterprises are generally well met in the large urban centres but businesses, particularly SMEs outside the main urban centres, have significantly less choice and less access to good quality services. Just 13.4% of broadband lines in Ireland have speeds of 10 Mbps and above versus an EU average of 38.9%. It also highlights the urgency for action with the report setting out a goal of rolling out advanced broadband services in all towns with a population of 1,500 or above within five years.

Shanahan noted, “In recent years Ireland has made significant progress in terms of the widespread availability and take-up of basic broadband services by firms and households. Forfás is concerned, however, that Ireland is lagging competitor countries in the rollout and take-up of advanced broadband services. Given the weak telecommunications investment climate in Ireland, dispersed population patterns and the recession, there is a strong risk that if appropriate action is not taken quickly Ireland will fall even further behind as other countries move decisively ahead to deploy advanced telecoms networks. It is critical that we act now. We need to make it easier for the private sector to invest in rolling out advanced broadband services and we set out specific actions to do this in the report. These include measures to lower investment costs, reduce red tape and stimulate demand. We need to quickly agree the advanced broadband targets and milestones for Ireland, identify the infrastructure deficits nationally and then develop and implement a plan to achieve these targets”.

To ensure the timely delivery of advanced broadband services in Ireland, the State needs to: n Develop an implementation plan which would include

mapping existing telecommunications networks and concrete investment plans and then identifying the deficits that exist nationwide in terms of the availability of advanced broadband services;

n Having identified the deficits, design a mechanism (e.g. competition/procurement process) to determine the level of market interest in addressing the identified deficits through a collaborative approach between the industry players and the State;

n Make a firm commitment to providing or sourcing the funds required to achieve the goals set out in the Programme for Government, and set objectives and targets to ensure the timely rollout of advanced broadband services. The level of funding required will depend on the extent of the advanced broadband deficits identified by the mapping exercise, the degree to which the market players can invest and how the deployment of advanced broadband infrastructure is phased; and

n If the competition/procurement process is not successful in leveraging investment from the market players to support the State’s broadband objectives and targets, progress with a State asset collaboration approach using the existing state telecommunications infrastructure. In this context, Forfás has examined in detail how such a State asset collaboration could deliver advanced broadband services to all towns with a population above 1,500.As enterprises generally tend to locate in urban centres, the

Forfás report focuses on delivering advanced broadband services to all towns with a population greater than 1,500, which is an interim milestone to achieve the Digital Agenda 2020 targets and the targets proposed in the Programme for Government.


Public Sector News

Retail Ireland, the group that represents the Irish retail sector said that the planned VAT increase was a further blow to Irish retailers, who have already been hit hard by the collapse in consumer spending.

Retail Ireland Chairman and Retail Director of Topaz Frank Gleeson said: “Increasing VAT will further damage consumer confidence and undermine the domestic recovery. Thousands of jobs have already been lost in the sector and this will only make things more difficult for businesses already struggling to survive. The move will leave Irish VAT rates 3% higher than those in the UK and increase the attractiveness of cross-boarder shopping. It is vital that the serious difficulties facing the sector are not compounded by any increase in excise duty. The run up to the busy Christmas trading period is the worst possible time of year to make these announcements.”

IBEC Chief Economist Fergal O’Brien said: “Increasing VAT at a time when the domestic economy remains on its knees is at odds with the economic needs of the country. It will further depress consumer spending and delay the recovery. Ireland

BLOW TO RETAIL

SICK PAy PROPOSALS SLAMMED

will now have the third highest standard rate of VAT in the EU 15 and the gap with the UK will be increased to 3%. This clearly raises the threat of further revenue losses from an increase in cross-border shopping. It is essential that the government doesn’t do anything else to further disadvantage the competitive position of Irish retailers.

“Recovery in the domestic economy is already trailing that of the export economy. Government should be doing everything in its power to help stimulate spending in the domestic economy. Increasing VAT will simply take more money out of consumers pockets and dampen recovery.

The Small Firms Association has condemned Government proposal to pass on the costs of the first four weeks of sick pay from the social welfare bill and said that it leaves Small firms in Ireland at competitive disadvantage due to increased costs and could result in further job losses.

“This amounts to an additional flat tax on employment, which all businesses will have to pay regardless of their profitability, and is completely unacceptable,” the Chairman of the Small Firms Association. Ian Martin said. “Despite the Minister’s comments that we are out of line internationally on sick pay, this is simply not true. I operate a business in our nearest competitor market, Northern Ireland, as well as here in Ireland, and the cost base is significantly less there. Whilst employers do make the initial sick pay payment, they are able to offset this against their PAYE tax

bill later. In addition, it has less of an immediate cash flow implication as the payment is just £81.60 for 28 weeks there compared to €188 a week for 2 years here,” he said.

“Businesses are already struggling to maintain jobs, and any measures that add directly to the cost of employment will result in job losses and will act as a strong disincentive to job creation. This amounts to an additional flat tax on employment, which all businesses will have to pay regardless of their profitability, and is

completely unacceptable. Employers and their employees already contribute significantly to the social welfare bill through the PRSI system,” Mr Martin concluded.


Motor Factors Award

Trust the expertsAutoglass® is Ireland’s leading vehicle glass repair and replacement company, servicing more than 60,000 motorists each year. The company also maintains strong relationships with most of Ireland’s major insurance companies enabling Autoglass® to take care of your insurance claim for you.

“We are absolutely delighted to win this award which recognises and rewards our strategy of focusing on Quality, Safety and Customer Service, a strategy that we believe will always separate us from our competition,” said Aluna Donnell of Autoglass when notified of the award.

Autoglass provide services to some essential public sector services, such as the Garda and other Emergency services and also to some local Councils, as well as Eircom and ESB and Alun points out that the company attaches a strong priority to its public sector clients. “All of these clients are extremely important to us, and we are particularly pleased to be helping support the public sector in getting their vehicles back on the road as quickly and safely as possible, in addition to our more general services to private motorists and companies in Ireland,” he says.

In common with the majority of business, Autoglass describe the last twelve months as challenging but the company’s commitment to customer service has enabled it to maintain its strong customer base and indeed grow market share. “We are excited about our future too, as we are planning on increasing our coverage across Ireland and we are expanding our Specials business which caters for Coach, Bus, Truck and Agricultural vehicles so that we can offer our services to more customers and more types of vehicles,” says Aluna.

Describing the company’s key selling points Aluna says it is their focus on customer service and the exceptional quality of workmanship which they offer clients. “Firstly, a constant desire to improve customer service drives our business, and we are always looking to make the motorist’s life easier and more efficient when dealing with vehicle glass damage,” he says. “Secondly, the fitting of windscreens is a very intricate and specialised job, which, if done incorrectly, can cause serious injury or even death. Autoglass Technicians therefore are highly trained professionals and only use specialised tools and equipment created by our business to ensure that glass repair and replacement is carried out to the highest level of quality.

“We also only use replacement windscreen glass which has been manufactured to the same level of quality and precision as the original manufactured glass. This is all important because a properly fitted windscreen accounts for up to 30% of the vehicle’s structural strength and therefore contributes to the safety of the motorist. In an unregulated area of the market such as ours, there is a serious worry for motorists if they use untrained technicians or counterfeit glass - which we think has become

evident across the country, especially in the coach and bus market. We therefore aim to ensure the best customer service and the highest quality repair and replacement work to satisfy all our customers both from the private and the public sector.”

Autoglass is currently running a Quality & Safety campaign aimed at the motor industry, the public sector, Insurance companies, Insurance brokers, The Road Safety Authority and the motoring public. Because of the importance of a properly fitted windscreen to the vehicle’s structural strength, the core message for anyone who requires a windscreen replacement is to ensure that it is done by properly trained professionals and to ensure the correct processes, tools, equipment and glass are used. “These factors play a major part in maintaining the structural strength of your vehicle in the event of a crash,” says Aluna.


interior design Award

Faulkner interiorsThe work of renowned interior design company, Faulkner Interiors is evident in many of Ireland’s finest historical buildings.

In 1980, David Faulkner, took over the company which had been established by his parents, George and Rosemary Faulkner thirty years earlier. Quality and expert craftsmanship and suprior fabrics are the hallmarks of Faulkner Interiors which offers a variety of specialised and highly skilled interior design services including soft furnishings, curtain design, window dressing, upholstery, fabric walling and conservatory canopies. The company also offers a comprehensive interior design consultancy service encompassing everything from initial consultation to a full project management service.

Faulkner Interiors works closely with the OPW and has being involved in a wide range of prominent projects on its behalf including Kilkneny Castle, the refurbishment of the Dail Chamber, Muckross House in Killarney, the Pearce Museum in Rathfarnham, the ballroom in Rathfarnham Castle, the Throne Room in Dublin Castle, Adare Manor, The State room in Aras an Uachtarain, Farmleigh House and Derrynane House, to name but a few.

Acknowledging the importance of the public sector to the company David says they were thrilled and delighted to receive the award. “After working on projects for the OPW for over 30 years it was great for our company to be acknowledged for its “Excellence” in business,” he says. “The Public Sector is very important to our company as it accounts for 30-50% of our business in any given year and the products we provide are high end, tailor made furnishings. We are very confident the award will be a huge endorsement and accolade to our 30 year relationship with the OPW and we will use the award as a tool to promote our company to other sectors who may not be familiar with us yet. We will do this through incorporating it into our website and also through future advertising.”

The company’s immediate objectives are to maintain and improve their niche market in the area of customised curtains and soft furnishings. They are also seeking other avenues within the public sector as well as the private and commercial industry for clients who appreciate and require bespoke soft furnishings.

David has a keen commitment to the conservation and restoration of historical buildings and the work undertaken by his company on behalf of the OPW provides the opportunity to employ the broad range of skills, expertise and experience

which he and his colleagues have acquired over the years. “We have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of historical houses and the style of furnishings and fabrics used in the relevant periods. We examine each house or room and design the soft furnishings in keeping with the period and design of the house,” he says.

Faulkner Interiors also work in the area of contemporary design and over the past 15 years they have been involved in providing the soft furnishings to many new homes and apartments. And homeowners do not necessarily require deep pockets to avail of the company’s services and achieve the unique and exclusive Faulkner touch.

David is quick to dispel the view that he services are directed solely towards AI income clients and says that a limited budget does not equate to compromise in terms of quality and design. Rather it presents a greater challenge and and one which calls for even greater ingenuity and creativity. “In the current economic climate, with constrained budgets, we have ably demonstrated that a beautiful look can be achieved using our skill and creativity,” he says. “Our stand at the recent Antique Dealers Fair displayed an elegant window treatment on a very economical budget.”

Faulkner Interiors provide a consultancy service for anyone needing advice on colour schemes which can be an extremely beneficial and cost effective option for those refurbishing their home as creative input and the right advice from experts can save a lot of money in terms of reducing errors and ensuring that the desired end-result is achieved.

❧ DESIGN ❧ BESPOKE SOFT FURNISHINGS❧ DRAPERIES ❧ UPHOLSTERY ❧ WALLING SPECIALIST FABRICS ❧ CLASSICAL & CONTEMPORARY E:[email protected] Phone : 01-4569549 Fax : 01-4569534

Greenhills Road Dublin 12 E: [email protected] W: www.gcfaulkner.ie Phone : (01) 456 9549 Fax: (01) 4599534

❧ Since 1950 ❧

www.gcfaulkner.ie

Public Sector Magazine Awards Issue 2011

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Transcript of Public Sector Magazine Awards Issue 2011