Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 November 2020
53. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Finance if his Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under the aegis of his Department have implemented social clauses in their public procurement contracts in the past three years (details supplied); and if so, the nature of these social clauses. [39048/20]
View answerThe OGP Information Note ‘Incorporating Social Considerations into Public Procurement’ gives guidance on how public sector bodies can deliver wider social and environmental aims through their procurement processes for example, employment and training opportunities for disadvantaged groups, disability access, promoting social inclusion, or the protection of the environment and combating climate change.
I would like to reassure the Deputy that my officials are very cognisant of the importance of social considerations in procurement. However, due to the nature of the services procured by my Department, which are generally very specialised and technical in nature, it has not been possible to incorporate social clauses into any contracts to date.
My Department has 17 Bodies under its aegis of which 7 fall into the category of being ‘commercial or non-commercial State bodies or private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding’. These Bodies are: the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, the Tax Appeals Commission, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), Home Building Finance Ireland (HBFI), and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners.
In respect of these Bodies the following responses have been received by my Department:
The Tax Appeals Commission, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General have not included social clauses in their contracts.
The Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal has not carried out procurement activities.
The Office of the Revenue Commissioners has confirmed that while they have not included social clauses in their contracts, this is primarily because their procurements to date have generally been specialised in nature and it was not possible to incorporate such clauses.
The NTMA has addressed social clauses in public procurement through requirements set out as part of the tender processes and within the form of contracts awarded. Some examples are set out below:
- Energy: the NTMA has specified 100% green energy for their own utilities and has sought details of green initiatives such as renewable energy from providers.
- Technology Supplies: the NTMA has sought devices that are energy efficient in addition to having an overall low environmental impact.
- Labour Force: the NTMA has required a competitive package for staff of service providers, including being paid a living wage.
- Waste: the NTMA has required providers to demonstrate sustainability and waste management addressing waste minimisation with proposals to achieve a target of zero waste to landfill. Other areas such as paper-lite and recycling, and carbon footprint have also been addressed.
It should also be noted that the NTMA provides support services, including facility services, to Home Building Finance Ireland (HBFI).
