Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Next week, I will release the findings of a report based on research I have been doing on whether our public bodies are doing enough to support Irish producers and Irish jobs. It is an extensive report, which examines the number of Irish goods and services being used by State-funded bodies such as Departments, local authorities, and State agencies. I contacted 162 institutions, 75% of which replied, and this will be documented in the report.

The aim of the research is to give an accurate picture of the percentage of goods procured by State-funded bodies that are Irish, and if there is an interest in increasing that amount. As we all know, buying Irish creates jobs in Ireland, and we should look to State-funded bodies to kick-start that process because they are something over which we have some control.

I was contacted recently by a printer who had lost a contract to another Irish company that got the contract through a procurement process, but it transpired that although the company was Irish, the vast majority of the service was being sent to the United Kingdom to be completed. It appears that suppliers are finding ways around the social conscience argument in the procurement area. I will be pushing for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, and the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, to closely examine this area. It is an issue we could usefully debate in this House in the coming weeks.