Public Procurement Contracts

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 February 2021

Thursday, 25 February 2021

Questions (376)

Mairéad Farrell

Question:

376. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 287 of 25 November 2020, if further details of six of the projects submitted by four library authorities (details supplied) that included a social consideration clause will be provided, in particular the value of each of these contracts; and the nature of the contract work and a description of the social clauses used therein in tabular form. [10787/21]

Written answers

Minister for Rural and Community Development

Circular 20/2019 on Promoting the use of Environmental and Social Considerations in Public Procurement provides for public bodies to deliver wider social aims through their procurement processes by the inclusion of social considerations, such as the promotion of social enterprises.

The purpose of such a clause is to support the inclusion of social enterprises in public procurement given their not-for-private-profit nature and their ability to deliver the same quality product or service but with potentially wider social benefits.

My Department approved funding of €691,231 for the provision of sensory facilities and equipment in public libraries across 30 library authorities on 27 February 2020.

Six of the projects submitted for approval by the four library authorities in question included a public procurement social consideration clause and details of these projects are provided in the attached file.

Table