Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Environmental Policy

9:00 pm

Photo of Joanna TuffyJoanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 850: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action plan for the implementation of regulations that require all timber used in Government, semi-State and local authority procurement contracts to be sourced from certifiably sustainable timber producers in respect of EU Directive 17 and 18 of 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48354/09]

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Directives 2004/17/EC and 2004/18/EC, which were transposed into Irish law by regulations made by the Minister for Finance, allow for environmental and social criteria and conditions to be integrated into public procurement procedures. Such criteria and conditions may, therefore, be included in the selection of technical specifications and award criteria, and in contract performance clauses.

The current emphasis is on ensuring that all timber entering the EU comes from legal sources. To this end, a new EU Regulation will require timber traders operating in the EU for the first time to operate "due diligence" systems as a further barrier to trade in illegal timber. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who has responsibility in this area, is negotiating this Regulation on behalf of Ireland.

The provisions of this Regulation, when adopted, will be reflected in the Green Public Procurement National Action Plan being prepared by my Department in co-operation with the National Procurement Operations Unit in the Office of Public Works. The Plan will help to ensure that we utilise our forest resources in a cost-effective way, while also safeguarding them for the benefit of future generations.

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