Ms Clare McGrath:

Deputy Connaughton is raising an issue on which there is constant tension as to the value-for-money question, whether that is getting the best outcome in a product for the best price or factoring in what is happening in the market in terms of employment and other elements. There are tensions within that. I will not speak for it but the Office of Government Procurement is exercised to get that at the best level. It depends on what is being purchased as to how it will manage it. Enterprise Ireland is looking to see how it can assist small businesses to tender and to work together in order that they can get competitive advantage by using the skills and competencies that may be in other local businesses.