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

I thank the Minister for her response. It raises a number of questions she might address. I take her point that the provision of new services must go out to tender under EU rules. However, this should not be viewed as an economic transaction. It should be viewed as a facility that is important for victims throughout the country. I do not believe the EU tendering rules would state that it must be viewed as a commercial tender. This State could say that this is a vital service for the protection of victims and exceptions could be made to the tendering rules relating to that.

Will it be tendered on the basis that the lowest tender will be accepted? Will the tender reflect the quality of information, the level of support and the amount of work that is required? The Minister said the funding will be ring-fenced. Will it be like the disability funding in the Department of Health where we heard that €35 million was being ring-fenced every year, yet we see that an amount way below that has been spent? Is this the situation that will develop in respect of this? Is the €250,000 allocated for the RCNI ring-fenced for the new contract as well?

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