Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

With regard to improving efficiencies, some concern has been expressed by senior lecturers in UCD about the frequency with which firms like Arthur Cox have been employed. I note that legal services are listed as non-priority under EU public procurement directives, meaning many public bodies excuse themselves from running competitive tendering processes for legal services. Will a legally binding requirement be introduced regarding competitive tendering for legal services contracts rather than the current guidelines applying to public bodies by way of circular issued from the Minister? One of the recommendations of the Competition Authority report was to reduce cost by identifying legal services purchased by the State where competitive tendering would be an appropriate form of procurement.

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