No Catering Contract For Irish

**A face** · 16/02/2009, 7:18 PM

I heard that the revamped Lansdowne Road catering contract was given away to any English company at the cost of even more Irish jobs. And get this, the contract was signed for ........ wait for it ........ 21 years !!

No, you ARE reading that right. It is actually twenty one years. I dont know how in the name of god they have signed any contact with anyone for anything for 21 years. I hope there are regular reviews with strong options to make change. And arbitration is vital as well if it came to a head at any stage, it could cost a fortune if its not nailed down.

Who made this decision? Was there not one Irish catering company offering a competitive price? How can you approach any Irish company for sponsorship after that?

**centre mid** · 16/02/2009, 7:23 PM

I presume whatever company got the contract that they wont be flying in staff from the UK. It would have to have been an open tender process, anything else would be against EU law. Looks more like a case of rip-off Ireland coming home to roost.

**eirebhoy** · 16/02/2009, 7:29 PM

It's Compass Catering afaik. They do Croker, the races, bank of Ireland, and a load of others. Obviously they employ their staff from this country. I shop in Tesco if it's cheaper so won't be critisising the FAI for this.

**Razors left peg** · 16/02/2009, 7:33 PM

people would be giving out if they went out of their way to give the contract to an Irish company if it worked out more expensive.... the headline would be FAI wasting money again

**stojkovic** · 16/02/2009, 7:34 PM

Its a bit hypocritical after we all (I didnt) did our Christmas shopping in Newry !

Are Aviva an Irish company ?

How about Arup ?

**A face** · 16/02/2009, 7:38 PM

Originally Posted by centre mid

I presume whatever company got the contract that they wont be flying in staff from the UK.

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Obviously they employ their staff from this country.

Apparently they will be flying their staff in, they have hotel accommodation organised for them (i'm not 100% on this, getting info second hand)

Agreed about rip-off Ireland but was there not one Irish Company bending over backwards to get this contract?

**Longfordian** · 16/02/2009, 7:41 PM

That surely couldn't work out cheaper for them than paying Irish part time workers minimum wage or thereabouts?!.

**eirebhoy** · 16/02/2009, 8:10 PM

Originally Posted by A face

Apparently they will be flying their staff in, they have hotel accommodation organised for them (i'm not 100% on this, getting info second hand)

I'd be very suprised at that. I know a good few people who work for Compass at the Races and Croker. Don't know why it would be different for Lansdowne. We're talking barmen, waiters, chefs, kitchen porters, etc.

**Superhoops** · 16/02/2009, 8:19 PM

Originally Posted by A face

Apparently they will be flying their staff in, they have hotel accommodation organised for them (i'm not 100% on this, getting info second hand)

Agreed about rip-off Ireland but was there not one Irish Company bending over backwards to get this contract?

This was announced about three weeks ago here. According to this Compass Group Ireland have been established here for over 20 years.

I think you will find that Compass have paid LRDC a huge amount for the franchise to operate all the corporate hospitality, the restaurants and the on site food outlets.

**pete** · 16/02/2009, 8:23 PM

Originally Posted by A face

Apparently they will be flying their staff in, they have hotel accommodation organised for them (i'm not 100% on this, getting info second hand)

I think you might be hand on that one.

I can't see how would be cost effective to fly staff in for events. That said I am sure a lot of the jobs would be part time. Maybe the fulltime Management are flown in?

If Irish companies rip us off we complain, if foreign companies win contracts (presumably paying more or charging less) we complain...

**Newryrep** · 16/02/2009, 8:29 PM

Know very little about this but 21 years for any contract like this seems a bit excessive why not 10 years with an option of a rolling 5 year contract ?

**Mad Moose** · 16/02/2009, 8:35 PM

Originally Posted by A face

Apparently they will be flying their staff in, they have hotel accommodation organised for them (i'm not 100% on this, getting info second hand)

Agreed about rip-off Ireland but was there not one Irish Company bending over backwards to get this contract?

Heard talk of this on Joe Duffy today. Talk to Joe. I have to say I try and listen when I can at work. Didn't agree today though.We joined the European Union for a reason. Free and competitive markets. How manty contracts have we secured away from the island of Ireland. London 2012 is an Irish contract I believe and there was one mentioned for the channel tunnel. People rang Joe today disgraced it wasn't an Irish contract. Why must as a nation we whinge about everything or groan when things don't go our way. I'm sure it was a tendering process and we didn't compete.I don't expect we would have based on Irish minimum pay. The nature of contracts isn't patriotic.Its about costs and it a contract is cheaper elsewhere then thats what you go with.

**Dodge** · 16/02/2009, 9:17 PM

LOL @ the idea that a company would fly in staff and put them up over night to dish out food

**A face** · 16/02/2009, 9:18 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I'd be very suprised at that. I know a good few people who work for Compass at the Races and Croker. Don't know why it would be different for Lansdowne. We're talking barmen, waiters, chefs, kitchen porters, etc.

Matchdays are only one day, and they would be employing fulltime staff to fill the positions, again .... this is only as far as i know.

Originally Posted by Dodge

LOL @ the idea that a company would fly in staff and put them up over night to dish out food

I'd agree, but i'm only passing on what i've heard

That said, i have a mate who has worked for a promotions company for years who run Budwieser Bars at concerts, festivals etc. and she has travelled all over the place with them, to England as well. She is only there to look good for alot of their events but she's not on her own. Loads of staff that do the same.

**Dodge** · 16/02/2009, 9:20 PM

Do you not have some sort of bull**** filter?

**pete** · 16/02/2009, 9:22 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

LOL @ the idea that a company would fly in staff and put them up over night to dish out food

Maybe Gordon Ramsey will have a franchise in the stadium

**Junior** · 16/02/2009, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by Harpsbear

Its about costs and it a contract is cheaper elsewhere then thats what you go with.

Price should only be one element of the decision.

Quality, Flexibility, Is the company going to be around in a years time with the current economic climate?

I would hope it wasnt a decision based solely on whos the cheapest!

**4tothefloor** · 16/02/2009, 11:24 PM

Irish companies are complete and utter rip-off merchants. I'm involved in running a business myself. In recent months we've upgraded a lot of things in the business, including an IT system for stock control and retail POS, an electronic queueing system, signage, pre-printed till receipts and other printed media, electronic gift cards and various retail display props. About �35k in total and not one thing was purchased from an Irish company - everything was supplied from the UK. Why? UK is a half to one third of the price for the SAME products and supplies. It's astonishing when you do your research. On top of these savings you pay no VAT as your an overseas company. Irish companies prices are laughable and if we were dependent on them, the project would've been un-doable. Two problems - crazy minimum wage for the size of the country and greedy rip-off companies.

Not one bit surprised a UK company has won it. Irish companies probably tendered crazy prices. They'll get real soon enough though.....

**NeilMcD** · 16/02/2009, 11:30 PM

Are you not an irish company though.

**soccerc** · 16/02/2009, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by 4tothefloor

On top of these savings you pay no VAT as your an overseas company.

You are liable for the VAT at Irish rates once the items were landed. It's how Intra EU sales operate or are you saying you didn;t delcare it in your VAT returns?