Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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223. To ask the Minister for Finance the details of the information his Department collates as per circular 20/2019 (details supplied); the date this report was issued; the location on his Departmental website on which it can be found; and the progress in relation to green procurement that has been made to date. [25431/21]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that my Department is fully supportive of the reporting obligations and commitments to promote the use of environmental considerations in its procurement of goods and services, as set out in Action No.148 of the Climate Action Plan 2019 and Circular 20/2019.

The following Green Public Procurement reporting requirements apply to all Departments:

a) Each Department should state how it intends to incorporate green considerations in their Corporate Procurement Plan.

b) Starting with the 2020 Annual Report, each Department must report annually on progress in relation to Green Public Procurement.

Some detailed information collated in relation to Circular 20/2019 obligations is as follows:

1. The Department’s Corporate Procurement Plan will include a commitment to the usage of green criteria in future tendering competitions where appropriate. To further support the promotion of green procurement activity within the Department, my officials are engaging with the Office of the Government Procurement and the Environmental Protection Agency in relation to green procurement training and information seminars.

2. My Department recorded one contract in excess of €25,000 (VAT exclusive) in relation to window cleaning which contained ‘green/environmental’ procurement criteria. The Report was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on 31 March 2021.

3. The Department’s 2020 Annual Report will include the above contract along with a progress update in relation to green procurement activity. A copy of the 2020 Annual Report will be available on the Department’s website after it has been published. My officials will inform the Deputy’s Office when the 2020 Annual Report is available online.