Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 113: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the outcome of the assessment carried out on extending the 15 day payment deadline to local authorities and the health and education sectors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36505/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The application of the 15-day payment period requirement to local authorities and the health and education sectors remains under review. Organisations within the sector are committed to meeting their current payment periods. Suppliers experiencing difficulties in securing timely payments should, in the first instance, contact the relevant section of the organisation with which the contract was agreed. My Department has made an arrangement through the auspices of the Credit Supply Clearing Group, whereby representative bodies of the SME sector can bring to the attention of the Clearing Group individual cases of late payments in these sectors which are adversely impacting on the cash-flow or working capital of SMEs. Under this arrangement, my Department will have such late payment practices examined by the parent Department involved and reported back on them to my Department.