Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

113. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress that has been made by the social enterprise interdepartmental group, with the Office of Government Procurement, in examining the scope for the inclusion of social impact clauses in public procurement contracts. [44358/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government provides Secretariat support to the Inter-Departmental Group on Social Enterprise.

Policy responsibility for public procurement, meanwhile, is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, T.D. The Office of Government Procurement falls under Minister Howlin’s remit.

My understanding is that the Inter-Departmental Group on Social Enterprise has not made a formal submission to the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) regarding the inclusion of social impact clauses in public procurement contracts. However, I also understand that the OGP is examining the scope for the targeted use of social clauses in procurement contracts.

On the 9th June, Minister Howlin announced the establishment of a Social Clauses Project Group to identify suitable policy priorities to be addressed through the insertion of social clauses in public contracts. The objective is that the use of social clauses in appropriate projects would contribute to employment or training opportunities for the long term unemployed while mitigating the risk of displacing existing workers. My Department is represented on the Social Clauses Group and is supporting the Group’s objectives.