Mr. John McKeon:

In response to a few of those points, I would make the point I just made. The Indecon report and the study carried out by the Institute of Economic Studies and Social Finance Foundation recommended that it be done in 15 lots. One of my colleagues might correct me if I am wrong on that as I do not have the papers in front of me. We are going with considerably more than that. We have not finalised it but it will be considerably more than that. It will be a regional approach but not regional in the sense of it being at that level because we have taken on board the feedback.

The existing providers, which are sitting tenants, so to speak, are well positioned. There is no reason they cannot get together, as they did in counties Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim, and be successful in this process and when they are successful they will be on the ground and can respond locally. I take on board the Deputy’s point about when something happens. The loss of jobs for the Debenhams workers was another case in point last year. The Department often takes the lead and organises in such cases. If the Deputy were to speak to SIPTU officials, they would be very positive about the way the Department engaged and worked not only with its staff but with local employment service and other service providers. The Department will continue to co-ordinate and support in that respect.

On the Deputy’s question on the Department championing partnership, we like partnership but we have to operate within the rules. The rules are that we have to procure this in a way that is open, transparent and competitive.