Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their contribution. The fact that local authorities will have stronger powers and local politicians a greater say in the authorities’ activities will help towns develop. Before now, when funding came from a central source, there was a problem about how it would be spent. It was centrally controlled. That it is now local is very important.

My view on procurement differs from that of Senator Quinn. The problem was that one was getting a local service as well. That sometimes assisted when it was needed. The witnesses mentioned that joint bids have been entered. An issue with regard to the scale of an SME has an impact on who can enter for public procurement. Could the witnesses give examples of cases in which a number of companies have come together to put in a joint bid? It might be illuminating for other companies that have previously procured but have been unable to do so more recently because the rules and regulations have changed. The move towards using the European definition of an SME, which requires a business to have a minimum of 50 employees, excludes a fellow with five, six or ten employees because he does not have the scale. Can the witnesses give examples of how that problem has been overcome?