Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn the fact that Dun Laoghaire Rathdown libraries have stopped their contract with a company (details supplied) and awarded the contract to an English company; if he acknowledges that this will possibly result in job losses as well as further jeopardising Irish writers published in Ireland; his plans to implement incentives which seek to help protect the Irish publishing industry from tenders sought abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26251/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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It would not be appropriate for me to comment on specific contracts in the procurement process. Any issues or queries concerning the award of a particular contract should be addressed by the company in question to the procuring authority.

Public procurement policy is primarily a matter for the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Mr. Brian Hayes, TD.

Public procurement policy is aimed at ensuring that all public sector purchasing is carried out in a manner that is legal, transparent, and secures optimal value for money for the taxpayer. It is a basic principle of public procurement that a competitive process should be used. As a Member State of the EU, we are also obliged to observe the principles of the free movement of goods and services within the Single Market.

Under EU Directives, contracting authorities are obliged to advertise contracts valued above certain thresholds in the Official Journal of the European Union. The threshold for supplies and general services is currently €125,000. In addition, national guidelines in Ireland stipulate that all contracts for supplies and general services with an estimated value of €25,000 and upwards are to be advertised on the national tenders website, www.etenders.ie. It is open to any interested party to submit a tender for consideration in response to advertisements at EU or national level.

Ultimately, the award of any particular contract is a matter for the procuring authority in question, having regard to the content of the tenders received and the criteria under which they are assessed.