Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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360. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason there is only one approved supplier of cattle tags where there are 13 approved suppliers of sheep tags; his views that a multiplicity of approved suppliers would ensure competition in the marketplace for price and quality service; if the next time this contract comes up for tender it is intended to do it on an approved supplier basis; when the contract is due to be retendered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28259/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The restriction of the supply of bovine tags to a single supplier is designed to ensure that farmers obtain the best tag from a technical and price perspective. The farming organisations have expressed a preference for this approach on the basis that it ensures that ear tags can be made available at a more competitive price by a single supplier benefiting from economies of scale. Competition as between the various potential suppliers is ensured through public procurement competitions which are held by my Department on a regular basis to source a contractor for the supply of bovine tags. Tag supply companies are invited to submit a tender application as part of this process.

The holding of competitions for the supply of bovine tags on a regular basis ensures the Department’s evolving requirements can be met in a manner that is consistent with ensuring high technical standards in a competitive framework whilst availing of quality products consistent with best available technology and value for money.

The current contractual arrangements provide for a two year tenure from 1 November 2012, with the option of two extensions of one year durations. The intention is to continue with a public procurement competition for the supply of bovine tags from a single supplier into the future.