Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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170. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the multiple independent procurements of research grant management software by agencies under the control of his Department and the total cost to the taxpayer of these systems; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the same supplier has supplied all but one of these systems and that all are complaint with EU Commission standards on the exchange of research information and are all capable of being integrated into one grant management system as has been done in the US and the UK with the consequent savings that produces; the reason despite the existence of a National Research Platform Report, no progress has been made on the implementation of an integrated national research platform; if his attention has been drawn to the consequent diversion of resources in research bodies HEs and others to the management of these multiple systems and away from the proper good governance of public resources spent on research. [45569/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The procurement of software by agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each agency. All of these agencies are aware of the necessity to comply with national and EU legislation and procurement rules to achieve efficiency and value for money in the procurement of goods and services. Issues in relation to research policy are a matter for the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.