Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support my colleague Deputy Frank O'Rourke and my other Fianna Fáil colleagues in bringing forward this Bill tonight to ensure that Irish SMEs have a level playing field with their larger and foreign counterparts in bidding for public procurement contracts which provide huge significant social benefits in the communities in which they are delivered. There has been a paradox in that while the Government sets out a vision of economic growth and job creation, it has failed to introduce legislation such as this and that has resulted in the loss of potentially thousands of local jobs in the SME sector. We must insert social clauses to enable the State to consider the social benefit for the local or regional areas such as local jobs or taking on local apprenticeships. Job creation and its sustainability is one of the key issues facing the country. The independent retail sector provides 100,000 jobs in local communities around the country and many are battling for survival. The business community in our country has helped to sustain our population through recession and has proved to be hugely resilient. We have to do everything we can to help and this is one such measure.

Our legislation will require public bodies to have regard to economic, social and environmental well-being in connection with public service contracts being put out to tender. This Bill is designed to compel a public body, local authority or other public organisations to consider many social clauses when planning, initiating and completing a public procurement process. These include training and recruitment, the availability of subcontracting opportunities, the promotion of innovation and the facilitating of the involvement of SMEs.

The Government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the economy. A total of €12 billion is spent on goods, services and works.

The European Union rules on tendering and public procurement permit the use of these clauses that promote social considerations. We cannot stand still; we must move forward.

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