Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will press the amendment. I accept the spirit of what Senator Higgins proposed. I am the Minister of State with responsibility for procurement. We want to avoid any situation where existing procurement contracts and contracts put in place through competitive practice, which are already laid out in frameworks and underpinned by European Union directives on procurement, would be in any way undermined by the proposed amendment. I said at the time that we would reflect on all the proposals that were made in the Seanad and bring forward proposals on Committee Stage where that would be necessary. I do not want a situation where we have legislation which is directly in conflict with the established practices of our procurement policies and EU directives on procurement. The procurement practices are laid out by the Office of Government Procurement and the procurement executive, who are accountable to me. I would not want to undermine the job that they do. I will press the amendment and, if we require further discussion on this on Report Stage, I would welcome that. I reiterate that my officials and those of the procurement section in my Department would be willing to speak to the Deputies and Senator if that signal is made.