Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The www.MerrionStreet.ie website relates to the totality of Government activity and not simply that relating to the Department of the Taoiseach. The website was specifically developed for this purpose. As stated earlier, we must use all the modern Internet tools that are available in order to ensure that information is provided by the Government in a user-friendly way. I am of the opinion that the cost involved is well justified, particularly in the context of the service that is being provided. A tender was not required in respect of this matter because the work was carried out through the use of in-house resources. That work involved an examination of best practice across a range of 20 other government's websites and not just one.

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