Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Turning to the witnesses from the Department, I ask them to explain this to me because I cannot get my head around it. If I operate a school bus, I have to tender to Bus Éireann every five years under a procurement process and tick all the boxes, such as having washed it and all that type of craic. How come a Department gives out a contract, going by what I am hearing, under a fancy regulation that seems to provide the opportunity to keep going and going? Why is there not a procurement process for invited tenders for that contract? I would be very happy if I could do seven hoppers and get paid for ten when I am cutting turf for people. How come the Department does not deal directly with the importers? Customs deal with most things in this country. If a car is being brought in, the vehicle registration tax, VRT, and everything else must be paid to Customs. If a refund is owed, then the money is paid out. How come the Department does not look after this aspect?

I ask because it seems to be a piecemeal process. I refer to whatever deal is done with the importers and the people with the contract. That seems to be the system. Generally, what happens is the Department will get in X amount for everything and then pay out the money to the people doing the job. This is the rule in nearly everything, but this seems to be a completely different set up. Why does the Department not bring in a system for reward? If I collected 80%, for example, then I would get 80% of the tonnage that was sold or came into a country, or even 90% to try to rev it up a bit.

To all the witnesses, I had a look at the statistics on the single farm payment and 130,000 farmers are drawing it. Mr. Moloney stated earlier his organisation has the herd numbers of 75,000 customers. I refer to the context of 50,000, but I think 75,000 was the figure mentioned. Where are the other 55,000 going? What is happening? Do they exist at all or what is the story?