Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1079: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will respond to a query (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34308/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Following an EU procurement exercise conducted by the Department of Finance, a mobile phone framework agreement was established to provide non-commercial public sector bodies with a simple way to procure mobile voice and data services at competitive rates from a list of qualified vendors. This framework commenced in February 2008. The framework agreement is intended to maximise volume discounts and provide for reductions in administrative and transaction costs for providers and public sector purchasers. My Department has run a number of competitions under the framework for its mobile voice and data services during 2008 and 2009. Both O2 and Vodafone have been successful in separate competitions, in each case the successful vendor was the most economically advantageous response. My own mobile phone service is included in one of these contracts, currently held with Vodafone, which will be tendered again during 2010.