Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

While I appreciate the Minister of State's response, it does not address the question. The question was whether, in drawing up the procurement frameworks, the impact or potential impact on local jobs nationwide was assessed as part of that process, and from the Minister of State's reply, it appears as though it was not. While up to now, local companies have been supplying materials to bodies such as schools, local authorities and so on, what will happen is those bodies will be obliged to buy from a single centralised company that will service the entire country. This will give rise to a real threat to local jobs throughout the country. In the case of County Donegal, a number of companies supply materials to schools, such as, for example, janitorial supplies. In future, the VECs and third level institutions will be obliged to buy from a single entity nationally when purchasing such equipment. This will have a real impact on local jobs.

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