asked the Minister for Local Government if Irish firms may tender equally with their European counterparts for European public works contracts.
Ceistéanna—Questions Oral Answers - European Public Works.
25.
In so far as such contracts come within the terms of EEC directives 71/304 and 71/305 the answer is in the affirmative. Broadly, these directives require that public works contracts, which are estimated to be in excess of 1,000,000 "units of account" (about £480,000 at current exchange rates) in value, must be open to competition throughout the Community. Directive 71/304 requires the abolition by each member state of any restrictive or discriminatory practices which might prevent contractors from all member states from participating in public works contracts on equal terms. It came into force here on the 1st January, 1973. Directive 71/305 provides for co-ordinated procedures and criteria in the selection of tenders and the award of contracts. It comes into force here on 1st July, 1973, together with a consequential directive—72/277 —which prescribes the format of the notice to be given, in the Official Journal of the European Communities of impending public works contracts.
Could the Minister say whether the position of the floating £ is taken into consideration in relation to tenders of this nature and whether the present position of the floating £ will help or hinder Irish contractors?
From this morning's news about the value of gold, the £ and everything else, I simply could not hazard a guess.
But that is only in relation to the dollar.
I could not hazard a guess.