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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 7 Dec 1938

Vol. 73 No. 9

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Official Contractors.

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether as a result of the special inquiries which the Acting Minister undertook to make on the 25th May, 1938, into the refusal of the Department to appoint Messrs. Dixon & Company, Upper Erne Street, Dublin, as official contractors, he can now state on what grounds Messrs. Dixon & Company were refused such appointment.

Following on the undertaking given on 25th May, 1938, full inquiries were made into the cause of non-appointment of Messrs. Dixon & Co., Upper Erne Street, Dublin, as official contractors for candles and soaps. The local supplies advisory committee did not recommend Messrs. Dixon & Co, for appointment as official contractors for the 1938-39 period for any of their products owing to complaints made by local bodies regarding commodities previously supplied by this firm. I am fully satisfied with the grounds on which the tender of Messrs. Dixon was rejected.

Is the Minister aware that the body referred to in his reply accepted the tender of another firm for a product identical to that tendered by Messrs. Dixon, at a substantially enhanced price? Is he further aware that for this product, for which the enhanced tender was accepted from another firm, the Post Office gave Messrs. Dixon a large contract at Messrs. Dixon's price, and does the Minister contend that the Post Office is buying inferior supplies, or has the Minister made any inquiry from the Post Office as to why they gave their order to Messrs. Dixon and not to the firm which he patronised?

I have made full inquiry into the reason why the advisory committee recommended non-acceptance of the tender. I could give the Deputy and the House the full facts here, but I do not think it advantageous to the firm concerned.

I am authorised by the firm to ask for the full facts in public.

There is a list of from 20 to 25 complaints made by local authorities all over the country—Cork Mental Hospital; County Hospital, Castlebar; County Sanatorium, Ballinrobe; County Home, Castlebar; County Hospital and Nursery Home, Fermoy; County Home, Clonakilty; Central Hospital, Galway; County Home, Killarney; Limerick Mental Hospital; City Home and Hospital, Limerick; Carlow Mental Hospital; Glenties District Hospital; District Hospital, Cashel; County Sanatorium, Roscrea; County Fever Hospital, New Ross; Enniscorthy Mental Hospital; County Home, Stranorlar; District Mental Hospital, Portlaoighise; and District Hospital, Clifden. All those complaints were inquired into. The results were put before the advisory committee, and, on those complaints and on the reports of the investigation made by the combined purchasing section the advisory committee decided that whatever the tender was they would not accept it.

Is the Minister satisfied that in respect of each of those complaints Messrs. Dixon were heard by the officers whom the Minister appointed to inquire into the matter?

I cannot say they were heard in respect of each complaint.

Would the Minister give me an undertaking that if Messrs. Dixon were not heard at all in respect of any of those complaints they will be at least afforded an opportunity to put their side of the case to the Minister in respect of each of those complaints?

I cannot say they were heard in respect of every complaint, but I feel quite satisfied, although I am speaking without the book, that in making their inquiry the combined purchasing section and its director satisfied themselves that Messrs. Dixon were given an opportunity—perhaps not in 100 per cent. of the cases, but in particular cases taken as examples—to state their side of the matter.

If the Minister be satisfied on further inquiry that Messrs. Dixon were not given an opportunity of presenting their case in respect of the bulk of the complaints—not all of them—will he now afford them an opportunity of presenting their side of the case?

Most certainly, if they were not given a full opportunity.

That is perfectly fair.

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