Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 136: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the savings that have been made in her Department through the use of open source software packages and generic consumables; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39919/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department uses both proprietary and open source software. There is ongoing debate as to whether proprietary or open source software delivers lower total cost of ownership. Any savings that may have accrued from the use of open source software within my Department cannot be accurately quantified as systems of comparable specification have not been developed in both technologies. Generic consumables are not in use within my Department as hardware vendors recommend and only support use of their own brand consumables in their equipment.