Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

They are grouped together so I shall discuss the amendment but will not move it until later. It is important that the social clause is referenced in the legislation. The Minister will see that my amendment is cast more broadly than that of Deputy Fleming. It therefore addresses the issue of long-term unemployment, but also addresses apprenticeships, compliance with fair employment, equality and anti-discrimination legislation, and compliance with the green public procurement national action plan. We have modelled this on the clause included for the A5 project. There is a real opportunity in public procurement to achieve not just efficiency and value for money but a number of other key social objectives. The most obvious being the need for employment and training opportunities for younger people as well as for long-term unemployed persons.

Under the EU directives there are specific rules and regulations in respect of public procurement. However, in other jurisdictions they have quite successfully managed to knit key social requirements and objectives into the public procurement processes. We need to move in that direction here.

In March, I received a response from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, in which he told me something I already knew. He said that his Department and the National Procurement Service are examining the use of social clauses as a means of supporting activation. I am aware that that important work is under way and I am keen to support it. I would like to see this kind of provision contained in this legislation.