Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will reconsider plans regarding the national library procurement and make use of an exemption for cultural services in European Union procurement law in view of the importance placed on supporting SMEs; his views on whether a national tender process will harm small businesses and put them at a disadvantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14439/17]

Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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47. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the procurement policy will force the closure of bookseller library suppliers and long established businesses with regard to the national library procurement tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14440/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 47 together.

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.

A national tender for book stock procurement was run recently by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on behalf of local authorities. All matters related to the tender process were managed by the LGMA with support from the Education Procurement Service. 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.

My Department had no direct role in this regard and, therefore, has no authority to intervene in what was an independent procurement process. I understand, however, that the tender process has concluded and contracts have been signed with the successful tenderers. Irish companies were successful in four of six lots.

Arrangements have been put in place by bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information by those bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. Accordingly, information in respect of the tender process can be obtained directly from the LGMA, who can be contacted at corporate@lgma.ie.