asked the Minister for Local Government if Irish construction firms are taking advantage of the new freedom to seek contracts in the construction industry on the European continent; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Construction Industry Contracts.
25.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to his Question No. 49 of 29th January, 1975, in which I stated that no information was available in my Department about the extent to which Irish firms have participated in tendering for public works contracts in other member states of the European Communities in acordance with Directives 71/304 and 71/305.
On that occasion, in reply to a supplementary question by the Deputy, I said that I would see what I could do to get statistics on these matters and make them available to Members of the House. I have since obtained from the European Commission a limited amount of information, which, however, relates to the calendar years 1973 and 1974 only. As regards 1973, the information covers seven member states. It indicates that no replies were received from Irish firms in response to contract notices from these countries published in 1973, pursuant to the EEC Directives 71/304 and 71/305, in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
As regards 1974, the information supplied to me relates to two member states only and indicates that no Irish firm tendered for a public works contract in either of these member states during 1974. I was informed that the 1974 statistics from the other member states will not be available to the Commission until the middle of 1976.
Has the Minister not seen the report in the papers of one such contract being placed with an Irish firm?
I can only use in this House statistics which have been supplied to me as being verifiable and accurate and that is the information I have given the Deputy.