The Minister claims that the system must be competitive and non-discriminatory - yet the governments policy of collective tendering effectively favours foreign tendering thus giving rise to the present government protecting a high percentage of non Irish jobs with the UK benefiting considerably. It seems somewhat questionable that the governments policy on tendering protects foreign jobs and exchequer returns over Irish jobs and Irish exchequer returns.
It is quite concerning that a Minister consistently refers to the most "competitive" tender without clarifying if (as applies as in most cases) a net cost of issuing a foreign tender arises. For example in a Rathdown and Dunlaoghaire recent tender the tender was issued to an UK company at a claimed saving of 7K - however 6 Irish jobs were lost at a 30K x 6 = 180K current and future cost to the exchequer. the Irish company does not return to the exchequer as it is gone - loss to the exchequer- the tender money is not recycling in the Irish economy it is assisting the UK economy - loss to the exchequer. In the case of this tender where the department claims a competitive 7K saving to the department a 200K cost was levelled on the other side of the balance sheet.
I find Minister Howlins comments on this topic disquieting.
Anne Frawley
Posted on 5 Jul 2013 1:54 pm
The Minister claims that the system must be competitive and non-discriminatory - yet the governments policy of collective tendering effectively favours foreign tendering thus giving rise to the present government protecting a high percentage of non Irish jobs with the UK benefiting considerably. It seems somewhat questionable that the governments policy on tendering protects foreign jobs and exchequer returns over Irish jobs and Irish exchequer returns.
It is quite concerning that a Minister consistently refers to the most "competitive" tender without clarifying if (as applies as in most cases) a net cost of issuing a foreign tender arises. For example in a Rathdown and Dunlaoghaire recent tender the tender was issued to an UK company at a claimed saving of 7K - however 6 Irish jobs were lost at a 30K x 6 = 180K current and future cost to the exchequer. the Irish company does not return to the exchequer as it is gone - loss to the exchequer- the tender money is not recycling in the Irish economy it is assisting the UK economy - loss to the exchequer. In the case of this tender where the department claims a competitive 7K saving to the department a 200K cost was levelled on the other side of the balance sheet.
I find Minister Howlins comments on this topic disquieting.