Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

The Minister for Finance has issued guidelines to public contracting authorities aimed at operating their tendering processes in a manner that facilitates increased participation by SMEs, while ensuring that all purchasing is carried out in a manner that is legal, transparent and secures optimal value for money for the taxpayer. The guidelines also highlight practices that are to be avoided where they can unjustifiably hinder small businesses in competing for public contracts.

There has not been a review of the success of Irish small and medium enterprises in obtaining public procurement contracts here. However, in the context of the foregoing initiatives which have already been taken in relation to improving tendering opportunities for SMEs, officials in the Department are engaging with the national public procurement policy unit to explore how statistical data can be captured going forward to measure the success rate of Irish SMEs in tendering for public procurement contracts.

In terms of foreign public sector contracts, in 2009 some 80 overseas public procurement contracts worth over €210 million were signed with Enterprise Ireland input. Already this year, 63 contracts have been won and Irish firms have secured €200 million worth of contracts with the Olympic Development Authority in the UK. The Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, was in London again last week encouraging Irish companies to look at the Olympic Games as an opportunity to win overseas contracts.

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