Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a good deal of money. A further €3.5 billion is spent on capital works projects. Understandably and quite rightly, when dealing with such large sums of money, there is a growing interest and attention in examining ways in which this expenditure can be used to deliver social, environmental and economic benefits within society. It is estimated that approximately 95% of this annual procurement spend goes to Irish suppliers. Public procurement is already, in effect, a significant driver of employment opportunities within the State.

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