Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I understand, unless there has been a recent change, that the SMEs had to come together to put in one tender as compared to some of the larger multiples who can come into the system. They find that very cumbersome and hard to work with. Is that taken into account? It is very easy to say we are taking account of SME concerns but unless that works on a practical basis and unless they can tender effectively, what is happening is that they are being undercut and taken out of the market. While the OPW as an organisation will reduce the costs, who factors in job losses and that type of loss of revenue?