It seems that no Irish printing company was large enough to tender for the contract to print 20,000 copies of the 23-volume primary school curriculum introduced last week.

While a conglomeration of Irish companies tendered in April, a Department of Education spokesman told the Margin that the contract went to an Italian firm, Mozzon-Giuntina Spa, which in turn subcontracted delivery of the 460,000 volumes between September 9th and next Monday, September 20th. Total cost for one of the biggest printing projects co-ordinated by the Government Supplies Agency for many years: £1.343 million (€1.7 million).