Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to talk to the Taoiseach about the proposed move to put EmployAbility services throughout Ireland out to public tender in April. EmployAbility companies throughout Ireland have been successful in sourcing employment for people with a disability or for people with a mental illness and they have been doing that for years. I have met numerous people who have availed of this service. They have gone from barely being able to get out of bed to proper full-time employment and vibrant lives. The success rate of the service is immense. EmployAbility West Cork is a perfect example. It has been providing the service with dedication, passion and, above all, experience for years. It is unthinkable that a company like that would lose out through a public tender process. I am asking the Taoiseach to review this. If a company is not performing or getting results, by all means its contracts should be reviewed but other than that I ask the Taoiseach to review this and pause this move to a public tender process.

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