Ms Anne Stewart:

To bring it up a level, in the context of national tenders, the vast majority - somewhere in the 80th percentile - are based on qualitative data. We know this through the numbers and through our EU review because the EU collected this data right across all 27 member states. In the EU in general, the number of tenders awarded based on price is an awful lot higher on average versus the national average here in Ireland. We are the exact opposite. The vast majority of our tenders are awarded on qualitative data as opposed to price. I will ask Mr. O'Brien in a second to talk about how that works.

In terms of us stating what percentages should be given as part of the evaluation criteria, that is really a question of how long is a piece of string. The diversity and nature of the goods and services we buy right across the public sector are such that it would be impossible to lay down one set of criteria. It is really for each public sector body, based on what it is they are purchasing, to determine what they need in terms of evaluating that correctly. That would be a huge challenge for us. In terms of mandating, it is a matter of policy whether that is reviewed.