Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I understand the purpose of the campaign and appreciate the fact that the Exchequer was not out of pocket, certainly regarding the larger contract to which I refer. However, I have here a list of the Citizens Information Board, CIB, contracts issued for one month, March 2013. There was a contract for Downey Cleaning Services in the amount of €7,901, and five people were contacted to tender for that. A contract was given to Northside Community Law Centre for training in an amount of €3,930, and three quotations were sought for that. There was a contract for Performance Management and Development System, PMDS, training - €5,200 - and, again, three quotations were sought for that. A contract was awarded to Reads for photocopying the Citizens Information Services employer and staff handbook, which was for an amount of only €2,240, but five quotes were sought for it.

It seems a little strange, to say the least, that the majority in value of the contracts issued by this organisation, under the aegis of the Minister's Department, for the month of March went out without any tender. What criteria are used to select a person to offer a contract like this to without the necessity of tendering?

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