Irish Water procurement policy
Deputy Healy-Rae says Irish Water’s tendering policy will put small plant hire operators out of business and notes his own connection to the sector. The Taoiseach says Irish Water’s procurement is not something he can direct, but he will ask for the rationale and convey the Deputy’s concerns.
Hundreds of small plant hire operators and sole traders all over the Twenty-six Counties are about to lose their livelihoods and jobs following Irish Water's decision to tender out the water and sewerage maintenance work to one contractor or company for each county or multiple counties. This decision will only benefit some large multinational companies and will exclude local operators, families and workers who have given massive service over the years to keep the water flowing in our counties. I want to say as well that I am a director of a plant hire company that on occasion carries out work for Irish Water and that is subject to the same vigorous tendering process as every other company.
Comment on this
Irish Water has taken a decision in terms of its procurement policy and tendering out to one per county. I hear what the Deputy is saying. It has been an ongoing issue with the centralisation of procurement. Even nationally, the centralisation of procurement has actually disadvantaged smaller operators in the regions. I do not interfere in the operations of Irish Water, and nor can I, but I do take the general point. I will enquire of them to see the rationale for the policy and why it is being developed. I will articulate the Deputy's concerns and the concerns of others in the sector who would be impacted by such a decision.