An Post Uniforms

waffleman

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/anger-as-an-post-to-spend-83643m-on-uniforms-in-north-2008484.html

A spokesperson for An Post insisted that the Northern Irish company was chosen by An Post because of its "extensive experience in providing uniforms for state companies", despite the fact that 14 Irish companies applied for the contract.

Don't forget to be patriotic and shop in the republic. We need to keep Irish jobs after all.

Even if the 14 Irish quotes were all million quid more than the one chosen surely it would have been a net contribution to the economy?

jimmycrackcorm

Why not just deport all the east European workers here while you are on a run.

Government departments are required to get value for money in any procurement.

Eu directives mean that any government dept tender has to be equally open to companies from all EU members.


So no they couldnt have spent a million more without breaking irish government rules regarding the procurement process or without breaking EU directives about tendering for services.

Cookie_Monster

sure we're all one big happy island.

If no Irish company was able to match the Northern bid then I see no reason to go with them. If they can match the price and quality then the decision should be revised.

Why do they need 5,000 uniforms per year anyway, seems excessive esp considering post office staff don't wear uniforms apart from some of the main ones? Do they not plan them with enough quality to last a decent period of time

Atilathehun

I think every true blooded Irish citizen should be forced to wear a uniform.
Made in the ROI.
Material. Horsehair
Pockets. None. No money to put in them.
Collars. Removable. Just so we could save cost by washing just the collars.

Cookie_Monster

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

Eu directives mean that any government dept tender has to be equally open to companies from all EU members.

Lots of countries feel happy enough to ignore these though, France and the SNCF spring to mind. they'll only buy French built stuff these days

Cookie_Monster

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Lots of countries feel happy enough to ignore these though, France and the SNCF spring to mind. they'll only buy French built stuff these days

Indeed but with the imf/eu bailout did we not get a perfect example of how our government is so easily cowed by the EU powers

Cookie_Monster

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Lots of countries feel happy enough to ignore these though, France and the SNCF spring to mind. they'll only buy French built stuff these days

Anyway the thread is pointless, if a govt dept was found to have purchased stuff at higher rate fromt he south than they could have form the north, there would still be an article in the herald about it.

The headline for that article should be

An Post shows financial responsibility - Gets value for money

ardmacha

These stupid threads keep coming up. In the times that are in it publically owned bodies should seek value for money. Should An Post also buy Irish made vans?

As noted in the exports thread it is selling things outside the State that will save the Irish economy, only a lunatic could advocate protectionism.

Grassroots_FF

waffleman wrote: »

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/anger-as-an-post-to-spend-83643m-on-uniforms-in-north-2008484.html



Don't forget to be patriotic and shop in the republic. We need to keep Irish jobs after all.

Even if the 14 Irish quotes were all million quid more than the one chosen surely it would have been a net contribution to the economy?

Did you vote yes to any EU treaties? If yes you have no right to complain

We live in a europe of free movement of goods and services, not protectionism.

Lu Tze

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

Anyway the thread is pointless, if a govt dept was found to have purchased stuff at higher rate fromt he south than they could have form the north, there would still be an article in the herald about it.

The headline for that article should be

An Post shows financial responsibility - Gets value for money

Its not often that i agree with you. That said i thought procurement was opened up EU-wide if it was beyond 5 million?

Atilathehun

They were probably made in China in any case. Just a lable stuck on the bag in NI.
Anyway, NI is really a part of the free state. Just rented out to the Brits till the Shinners, breed enough sprogs to win it back at the ballot box;)

waffleman

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

Government departments are required to get value for money in any procurement.

Eu directives mean that any government dept tender has to be equally open to companies from all EU members.


So no they couldnt have spent a million more without breaking irish government rules regarding the procurement process or without breaking EU directives about tendering for services.

I'm all for competitiveness - it's good to see it enforced if this is what the IMF/EU have signed us up to. Certainly hasnt been the case in the past.

My original comment was more in annoyance at our finance minister telling us to shop in the republic and stay out of NI and then we see this. My local FF senator was seen by a local getting her tyres changed in the North recently.

Cookie_Monster

waffleman wrote: »

My original comment was more in annoyance at our finance minister telling us to shop in the republic and stay out of NI and then we see this. My local FF senator was seen by a local getting her tyres changed in the North recently.

saving you money so, since they'll claim it on expenses anyway...

I had a quick look at this stuff and as someone pointed out there is a monetary limit, but not being a legal mind i cant really define what that limit is. The 5 million figure mentioned could relate to a specific type of contract and perhaps not the provision of supplies as in this case.

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32009R1177:EN:NOT


I also followed a link where a tender by the Dept of Agri was challanged successfulyl and costs awarded against the state.

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2010:246:0035:01:EN:HTML