§ MR. MEAGHERTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in considering contracts for the supplies for workhouses and dispensaries, boards of guardians are allowed to use their discretion to accept any tender which they decide on, irresspective as to whether the same may be the lowest or not, if, in their opinion, or in the opinion of the majority of the board, they are doing the best for the interests of the ratepayers; and whether it is only in the case of district council work that reasons are to be given to the Local Government Board as to why tenders other than the lowest were accepted.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) Boards of guardians are, in the exercise of their discretion, at liberty to accept the lowest or any tender for the supply of goods to the workhouse, except in the case of medicines and medical and surgical appliances. In order to obtain recoupment from the local taxation account of portion of the cost of these latter articles, boards of guardians must, before accepting a tender, other than the lowest, obtain the approval of the Local Government Board. In every case boards of guardians must be prepared to satisfy the auditor that their action in accepting a tender other than the lowest was in the best interest of the ratepayers. Section 18 of The Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1902, requires a rural district council which accepts a tender other than the lowest, 605 for the execution of a public work, to give the reasons on a prescribed form for the non-acceptance of the lower tender or tenders. The reasons must be produced to the auditor of the Local Government Board.