Ms Róisín Fleming:

There are two issues with regard to our industry. The first is the effect of current aggregate contracts. Previously we were a one-stop-shop for schools. A small country school could come to us and get everything it needed. Now those schools must get their paper from one supplier, their cartridges from another supplier and their stationery from a third supplier. If the janitorial contract goes ahead - which we all hope it will not - this will add a fourth supplier. There is also the addition of arts and graphic supplies from ourselves. The result could be that a small country school with a couple of hundred euro to spend must go to six different suppliers.