Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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103. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 68 of 25 November 2020, if further details of the inclusion of social clauses in contracts for capital investment projects under Project Ireland 2040, such as the development of the National Gallery and National Archives, will be provided; if such contracts have been drawn up yet; and the nature of the contract work and a description of the social clauses to be used therein in tabular form. [10791/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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My Department is engaged in significant capital investment projects under Project 2040 across all the National Cultural Institutions which include both the National Gallery of Ireland and National Archives.

Under the Public Spending Code, and the Capital Works Management Framework, my Department acts as the Approving Authority with responsibility for granting the approvals required at each point in the project life-cycle and ensuring project delivery in line with those approvals. The National Cultural Institutions act as the Sponsoring Agency, responsible for the appraisal, planning and management of projects, while the Office of Public Works, for most projects under the programme, acts as the Contracting Authority with responsibility for procurement at construction phase and overseeing the construction process.

At present, all the National Cultural Institutions projects are at various stages including appraisal, design, planning and procurement, along the Public Spending Code life-cycle and no contracts have, as yet, been placed in relation to construction.

My Department and the National Cultural Institutions will work with the OPW to ensure that the requirements of Circular 20/2019: Promoting the use of Environmental and Social Considerations in Public Procurement will be taken in account, as appropriate, and any other relevant advice from the Office of Government Procurement.