Paul Murphy: Demands withdrawal of Aramark's National Gallery contract
Paul Murphy criticised the National Gallery's decision to award Aramark a €7.5 million catering contract and linked the company to abuses within the direct provision system. He expressed solidarity with staff, artists and community protesters and urged action to have the contract withdrawn.
Allegations against Aramark
He described the inhumane system of direct provision, saying companies like Aramark make millions in profits while running what he called essentially open prisons for asylum seekers. He cited alleged mistreatment including poor food, intimidation of those who speak out and an incident in which a common room was locked on Christmas to prevent families celebrating.
National Gallery contract and protests
He noted that the National Gallery has awarded Aramark a 7.5 million euro catering contract and said staff, artists and the community have protested the decision. He asked colleagues to join him in expressing solidarity with those opposing the contract and to act to ensure the contract is withdrawn.
Public procurement and legal limits
He argued that public procurement is a matter for the relevant agencies and warned against individual deputies deciding who wins state contracts. He pointed out that local authorities and the state must comply with EU procurement rules and that broader reform of procurement processes would be a separate, wider issue.
Political exchange in the chamber
He pushed back against attempts to "spin" his remarks during the exchange and moved to close questions on the item. The comments underline tensions between campaign pressure, procurement law and calls for accountability over services linked to direct provision.
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The inhumane system of direct provision sees companies like Aramark make millions in profits, running what are essentially open prisons for asylum seekers, fitting perhaps as Aramark also makes money running for-profit prisons in the US. They have treated those in direct provision here appallingly over the years, serving up terrible food, intimidating those who speak out and in one case locking the common room on Christmas to prevent families having a celebration for their kids. Now the National Gallery has awarded Aramark a 7.5 million euro catering contract. Staff, artists and the community have protested against this. Will you join me in expressing solidarity with those who are opposing this and will you act to ensure that the contract is withdrawn? I think first of all public procurement is a matter for all of these agencies and it is not for their octaves to decide in every individual contract. There is a broader issue if people wish to reform the procurement process itself. But I think we are entering into a new situation if individual deputies are going to decide who wins individual contracts from state agencies. That is a road I am not clear that we should be going down quite frankly. And it is not open to the state. For example local authorities can't have to go by EU procurement rules and the state has to go by EU procurement rules. As part of the perspective of all of these issues across the board. From construction and right across. I didn't say that Deputy. That concludes Deputy. You will spin it. Look, you will spin it whatever way you want to spin it anyway. That concludes questions on Lieutenant-Proμired Legislation. That concludes the Lyndsey C Law. ised Curt Remusersant vai.
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