Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Far be it from me to tell the Deputy to whom he should address the questions but the responsibility for public rents falls to the Department of Finance. Deputy Brian Hayes has been given an explicit mandate to seek reductions in costs across a range of procurement issues. Last week the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, published documentation on public service reform which outlined detailed strategies on how savings would be made through public procurement. There is a strategy in place seeking to reduce those costs.

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, is responsible for upward-only rent legislation, not my Department. I accept what the Deputy says; that this is both an issue for public costs and private employment. It is clear that we are seeking better deals in the public sector on all areas of procurement.

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