Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the contract for an organisation (details supplied) will be renewed after 31 May 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21214/08]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the current programme support, the Department publicly tendered for the provision of support services to Projects in 2004. Six companies, including the agency referred to by the Deputy, were contracted following a public tender process to provide services on a regional basis for the period June 2004 to end May 2007. These contracts were extended, initially, to the end of 2007, and then, to the end of May 2008, in order to complete a consultation process with Projects on the future of the Programme. My Department cannot extend these publicly procured contracts on an indefinite basis and tenders for support services will be advertised publicly in the very near future as part of the development of future support services for the Programme.

In the interim, projects have been afforded some flexibility by providing them with the opportunity to procure services that best meet their own training and development need.