Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 30 January 2014

Public Accounts Committee

2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 6 - Land Swap Arrangement in the Provision of Affordable Houses
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works

12:05 pm

Photo of Paul ConnaughtonPaul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The only reason I raise the issue is that on a broader scale the witness mentioned in her opening remarks the new procurement strategy and cost savings. A number of small business have concerns in regard to the procurement process being followed by the Office of Public Works on the basis that while its directive is to reduce costs and make savings for the State, it is potentially putting them out of business. Anybody looking at this has to follow these very strict new procurement rules and yet this was going on. From a leadership perspective, how would the witness equate that back to those people under new procurement rules?