Calls on Minister O’Gorman to make a statement on the matter in the Dáil next week and to take questions from opposition leaders
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett has said that an admission in the Dáil this afternoon by Minister Roderick O’Gorman that Aramark have been granted a tender for catering services for Ukrainian refugees is scandalous as it appears that there was no open tendering process.
The TD said it was quite shocking that it appears that no open tender was put out and that it was completely unfair that other smaller local companies were apparently not afforded the opportunity to offer expressions of interest for providing catering services for Ukrainian refugees.
The TD said that there have been very serious allegations leveled at Aramark for its catering services in US prisons and in the abhorrent Direct Provision system in Ireland. There have also been protests by artists and workers against the company providing the catering in the National Gallery in Dublin.
The TD said: “The revelation from Minister O’Gorman this afternoon is a scandalous admission and one which requires scrutiny and an investigation. For a company like Aramark to be granted the contract for catering services to Ukrainian refugees in this country without a proper, open and transparent tendering process is really shocking. There have been some very serious allegations leveled against the company for its catering services in US prisons and Direct Provision centres in this country and indeed demonstrations by artists and staff in the National Gallery have been held.
“It is completely unfair that smaller Irish companies were not afforded the chance to express interest in providing such services for Ukrainian refugees.”
