Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
489. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 25, 28 and 86 of 22 March 2022, if she will clarify any meetings that she or her Department officials had with interested parties or companies in relation to the provision of these services and specifically any lobbying on the policy decision to tender out these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16581/22]
View answerMy Department is currently undertaking a significant expansion of employment services. In particular, specialised employment services for those farthest from the labour market - currently available in just twelve counties - will soon be available State-wide for the first time.
In the first phase of this procurement, contracts for Intreo Partners - Local Area Employment Services (LAES) were agreed in late 2021 across four lots in seven counties in the Midlands and North-East. These new services are now operational and accepting referrals.
Phase two of the Intreo Partners - LAES procurement commenced with the publication of the request for tender on 21 December last. My Department recently extended the deadline for tenders to 19 April to ensure all interested parties have sufficient time to prepare quality tender responses that reflect their experience and capacity to deliver a quality service.
My officials had several meetings prior to the publication of the phase 2 request for tender with the Irish Local Development Network (ILDN), the trade unions SIPTU and Fórsa, primarily in September, October and November 2021. During these meetings, the ILDN provided feedback on the phase 1 procurement process.
I meet with the ILDN on a regular basis in my role both as Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development. One such meeting occurred on 2 December, where the procurement of employment services was discussed.
External contracting has been a feature of the Department's employment services since it became responsible for these services over a decade ago. Prior to that, external service provision had been a feature of the FÁS employment service offering since the mid 1990s. I can confirm that neither I nor my officials have been lobbied by any party in relation to expanding the tendering of employment service provision. However, as stated above, I have been lobbied both in meetings and in correspondence from the ILDN and by trade unions regarding the legal requirement to competitively procure these external services.
Prior to the formal commencement of the current live procurement process, my officials met a broad range of organisations at their request. These organisations included those currently providing employment services in the Irish market, including the bodies referenced above, and other organisations who were considering entering the Irish market. With the exception of the meetings and correspondence with the ILDN and trade unions, none of these meetings could be described as seeking to influence a policy decision or as lobbying and were in the main introductory meetings.
