Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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462. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if all security and contract cleaning companies that have obtained contracts from his Department and agencies under the aegis of his Department under public procurement rules pay the legal employment regulation order, ERO, hourly rate to their security and contract cleaning employees; the steps he has taken to confirm full compliance with the ERO system; if he has cancelled contracts with companies that have been found to be in breach of the ERO system since 1 October 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35231/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will wish to be aware that the Request for Tender for contractors to be included on the Department's Cleaning Framework, which was published on 29 January 2010, included a provision that:

"Under Article 27 of Directive 2004/18/EC and Regulation 27 of European Communities (Award of Public Contracts) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 329 of 2006), Service Providers must provide a statement confirming that they have taken account of their legal obligations relating to employment protection and working conditions relating to the provision of the services sought under this RFT."

All Service Providers included on the Framework provided the required statement and I have been informed that no cleaning contracts were cancelled as a result of breaches of the ERO system.

The Office of Government Procurement now have a new framework in place since late last year and the Department is preparing to tender for the provision of cleaning services under this framework.

In terms of security arrangements within the Department, two security firms are employed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service. INIS requires companies to confirm in writing that they are fully compliant with the ERO system and maintain on file current confirmation of position for each firm.

I have requested that the relevant bodies and the agencies under the remit of my Department contact you directly in respect of their own arrangements in this regard.