Leinster House authorities issued a new tender for broadcast coverage of the Dáil and Seanad with “no commitment” to improving the conditions of the workers providing the service, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has said.
Sinn Féin TD John Brady said there could be “no justification” for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission issuing a new tender while facilitating or turning “a blind eye” to insecure work where employees are not paid when the parliament is in recess.
The commission, which has responsibility for the operations of the Dáil and Seanad, has issued a new five-year tender contract worth €13.5 million, up from €8.5 million, for televised coverage of all Oireachtas proceedings.
A tender offered last year valued the contract at €8.05 million but was withdrawn when no offers were received.
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The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission subsequently negotiated a €2.2 million one-year extension of services until the end of 2026 with previous contractor Pi Comms.
An expert working group was established to examine why the previous tender process did not attract a successful bidder, amid controversy after it emerged 13 of the 44-member Oireachtas broadcasting unit had to sign on the dole when the parliament went into recess.
More than 160 TDs and Senators signed a letter, citing a “compelling case” for the Oireachtas to directly employ the broadcast unit “given the extremely concerning working conditions and pay issues”.
The expert working group also looked at the “long-term strategic direction” of the broadcasting unit and Oireachtas TV.
The expert group’s completed report has not been published and no official explanation has been given for the 59 per cent increase in the value of the tender.
A 222-page submission from the workers to the group included a cost of just under €8.9 million over five years if all 44 were paid in-house as public servants, “saving the taxpayer over €4 million” on the €13.5 million contract, a spokesperson said.
Nine of the 44 are civil servants, including the broadcast manager, assistant manager, administration team and three Irish sign language translators.
“At a minimum the contract should contain provisions guaranteeing workers industry-standard rates and appropriate protections during periods when the broadcasting service is not operating,” the spokesperson said.
The “central recommendation” of the PAC’s submission was that “an in-house broadcasting service should be established, supported directly by civil servants”, Brady said.
The new tender “with a significant increase in the value of the contract but no commitment to improving the conditions of the workers delivering the service is deeply disappointing and underlines why a new approach is needed”, he said.
“There can be no justification for a publicly funded body continuing to facilitate or turn a blind eye to insecure work, with broadcasting staff paid a pittance, denied basic employment protections and forced to rely on social welfare when the Oireachtas is not sitting.
“These workers are essential to our democracy and must be treated with fairness and respect.”
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The commission said the estimated contract value “reflects the maximum potential value of the proposed contract over its full term and is not a guaranteed level of expenditure”.
“The figure was informed by extensive work undertaken following the unsuccessful 2025 procurement process,” it said.
“This included an expert working group review, engagement with industry and comparable parliaments, detailed analysis of broadcasting requirements, financial modelling and labour market research.
“As the tender competition is currently live, it would not be appropriate to comment further on the details of the procurement.”
