Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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165. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the academic library tender, which is due for renewal in July 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21991/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions and the internal disbursement of funding is then a matter for the individual institution.

Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and my Department has no role in their day to day operational affairs including the tendering of goods and services it requires. Higher education institutions are bound by public procurement procedures in relation to spending.