Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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31. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he has had any discussions on the new centralised national public library procurement system which would appear to be discriminating against small library supply businesses here and may lead to businesses closing and the loss of jobs. [2020/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The provision of public library services, including the procurement of books, is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. My Department has no direct role in these matters.

A national tender for book stock procurement is being progressed by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on behalf of local authorities. The Request for Tender was published on the ‘e-Tenders’ website in October 2016 and the process is expected to conclude shortly. The LGMA has confirmed that the process was conducted in a fair and transparent manner and in full compliance with all regulations, policies and guidelines governing public procurement in Ireland. There was no discrimination against any supplier. Indeed, the publication of the tender in six lots sought to ensure equality of opportunity for all suppliers.

As the tender process is ongoing it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the process or the outcome at this time.