Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Again, I agree entirely with the Deputy. The way to go is not so much to have a cap because, in a way, it is a stab in the dark, but to have true competitive tendering. I know competitive frameworks are being devised in order to do this. I have looked, for example, at how some of the big American companies do it. They have an open on-line tendering competition to avail of reduced legal fees. They put up the opening bid and legal firms have a period of time in which to bid and offer a reduction. While that might be one way to go, we want to ensure the best advice is available to the State and its agents. In any case, the devising of a system to address the concerns of the Deputy is certainly in hand.

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