Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let us say the Government decides tomorrow morning that we are to participate in a mission somewhere in Africa or wherever. I am not sure whether the existing contract we have is negotiated every 12 months, but it is a fixed contract for the overseas missions we have, be it Operation Sophia for the Naval Service or an operation for the Air Corps. If we were to undertake a new mission we would have to renegotiate a package with the existing provider. If that provider was unable to provide us with a service, the EDA gives us another option in the future. From my perspective, if the EDA package is more acceptable or better priced than the existing contractor we have, one would go with the keenest price and the most secure provider.