Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
531. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the steps taken since 2020 to support training and professional development across the procurement system making particular reference to procurement systems in local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38170/23]
View answerSince 2020, my Department, specifically the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), has taken a number of significant steps to support training and professional development across the procurement system.
These steps include:
In 2020, the Commercial Skills Academy launched a programme of training supports to increase the commercial capabilities of public servants tasked with the delivery of capital funded public works projects. Since 2020, the programme has delivered over 1000 hours of training to more than 3000 public servants, with a significant numbers of the public servants availing of the training coming from local authorities.
A dedicated unit now exists within the OGP to deliver a programme of events focusing on procurement knowledge and information sharing across the wider public sector. Since 2020, this unit has hosted over 100 hours of procurement related events for public servants, with significant proportions of attendees from local authorities.
In 2020, a unit was created to develop OGP's procurement capability, through the provision of a programme of on-the-job training and supports.
In 2021 my department welcomed and endorsed ProcureCompEU, a tool designed by the European Commission to support the professionalisation of public procurement.
In 2023, the Professional Practice Unit was formed within the OGP with responsibility for leading the development of professional procurement practice and skills across the public service.
