Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A key policy focus for Government is to sustain competition in markets as well as working with other Government bodies to support fully and encourage smaller businesses in competing for Government businesses. These reforms are fundamental in their nature and, being truthful, they will take time to implement and bed-in. In my engagement with stakeholders to date, and I attended a stakeholder meeting with the OGP and have had a number of bilateral meetings with stakeholders, they have told me that they like what is in the circular but they are concerned about consistency of implementation. This leaflet, effectively, is the circular summarised. It must be the Bible in terms of how we look at small and medium enterprises, SMEs, engaging with procurements. It deals with many of the issue that have been addressed, including e-tenders, the size of lots, encouraging consortia and trying to provide the upskilling that SMEs might need.

The next Meet the Buyer event will take place in Belfast on 22 October and in Dublin on 12 November. It is free, one can register to attend online and it is primarily aimed at those in SMEs. They will meet buyers and public sector people to whom they can pose questions. Members should encourage people in their constituencies to attend but Members should also attend. I plan to attend the event on 12 November. It is a useful exercise to see the engagement that takes place, what works and what one thinks might need to be done better.

The guidelines in the circular set out positive measures to promote SME involvement in a manner that is consistent with principles and rules of the existing public procurement and regulatory regime. In addition, some relevant measures contained in the new EU procurement directives are accelerated by inclusion in this circular. The guidance, for example, encourages procurers to break larger tenders into lots which can enable smaller businesses to compete for tenders. It reduces the recommended thresholds for turnover to twice contract values and sets out pragmatic insurance requirements. In general, it is fair to say that this initiative has been warmly welcomed by many stakeholder representative groups.

In regard to social clauses, it is important that any policy instrument that is developed affords the State the necessary flexibility to design social clauses that are relevant to the needs of the specific contract and do not disadvantage the wider economy. The Government supports the principle of social clauses and I have heard widespread support for that across the House.

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