Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to speak on the issue of procurement because the office has come before the committee. To guide whatever discussion we have with it rather than speaking in generalities and broad brush strokes, it would be very useful to synthesise the precise instances where various Departments and agencies have strayed from appropriate procedures and practices. One of the big problems in procurement functions is total confusion in the system as to the appropriate level at which the procurement function is managed and who signs off on it. It still seems to be quite loose and casual. There are also issues of excessive expense and we could usefully look at patterns of winning contracts and how open the procedures are. Are they sufficiently robust to allow diversity of providers in various functions? This would be useful if we are to have the office in again in order that we can have quite a pointed discussion with it.