Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)

I welcome the Minister of State. This probably is the first time we have had her with us formally so I wish her the best in her work ahead.

The OPW gave a tour of the biodiversity of Leinster House this afternoon, which is why I was late to this debate, so I apologise for that. It is the International Day for Biological Diversity. I will make points on that.

Before that, regarding points that have been well made by other Senators about the purchasing power of the State and how important it is that small local companies can have access, I note with interest reports from RTÉ on the purchase of make-up - it is probably an annual story for RTÉ - and Elizabeth Arden being bought from Amazon and big multinational companies. Small Irish companies should have an opportunity to bid for those contracts. It is hugely important, because that is revenue that is generated within the State, in that the State puts it forward, and it stays in the State within small and medium-sized enterprises in Ireland.

On the issue of green procurement, I did not hear the Minister of State’s opening statement, but this issue is critically important. I recall back in 2006 or 2007 trying to get low-carbon cement brought into local authorities as a default for public projects, and it was so onerous and difficult. I welcome the fact the Government is moving on green public procurement, ensuring embodied carbon is looked at, and ensuring FSC-certified timber and ethically produced and sourced timber are going to be a central part of this policy Government is bringing forward. What are also critically important are supply chains coming from countries where there are ethical and exploitation issues and where environmental degradation is a side result of exploitation materials. One thing we know for certain is that one of the greatest drivers of biodiversity loss is resource use, along with exploitation of forests and other materials. It is critically important the Irish Government and State has in place a robust procurement policy that pays heed to this and ensures everything we do and our purchasing power is used to good effect and that the money the State spends or local authorities or other public bodies spend is used to good effect and in a positive way.When you look at issues such as biodiversity net gain from public projects, these are really fantastic opportunities we can have where a very ethically led procurement policy could bring us in the right direction. We have obligations with respect to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and international agreements we have made regarding biodiversity loss.

I look forward to the paper being brought forward and I hope we get an opportunity to discuss it at the climate and environment committee. That is an appropriate place to have it discussed, and I would welcome an opportunity to do that. I wish the Minister of State well with this important work ahead but this has to be a central tenet of the whole procurement policy the State develops.