Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In regard to that, I have outlined that the value-for-money justification must include the full cost of running a public procurement competition. I hope we have an opportunity to engage in a sustained, lengthy and necessary debate on the purpose of public procurement because it is not a subsidy. Deputy McDonald and I had the pleasure of serving on the Committee of Public Accounts together and would be among the first to criticise public servants coming before that forum who wasted taxpayers' money or failed to seek value for money. What we have here is an opportunity for our SMEs to get involved in a public procurement market that is worth €12 billion a year. I want to work with Deputies on all sides of the House to encourage our SMEs to get involved and provide them with as many opportunities as possible. That is why we have introduced the tender advisory service and the Meet the Buyer event and it is why we are looking at social-----

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