Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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915. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current level of assistance and courses available to SMEs in the area of securing public sector procurement contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42342/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) plays a central role in helping businesses engage with public procurement in Ireland. It does this by making the public procurement system more accessible, transparent, and efficient.

The OGP manages national frameworks and contracts for goods and services used across the public sector. Businesses can register on eTenders (Ireland’s national procurement platform) to access these opportunities. This simplifies access to a wide range of public buyers—from government departments to local authorities and health services.

The OGP provides Supplier guides on how to tender; Webinars and workshops on public procurement rules and best practices; and Templates and FAQs to help businesses prepare compliant bids.

In partnership with InterTradeIreland and Enterprise Ireland, the OGP co-hosts events like the Government Supply Expo, where businesses can: Meet procurement officers; Learn about upcoming tenders; Network with peers and potential partners.

InterTradeIreland offers comprehensive supports in public procurement to help businesses across the island of Ireland access and win public sector contracts. These supports are especially valuable for SMEs aiming to tap into the €21bn/£18bn all-island public procurement market.

ITI’s Go-2-Tender Programme is a flagship initiative designed to help businesses develop the skills and confidence to tender successfully through: Free Masterclasses led by procurement experts; Practical training on how to find opportunities, write winning bids, and understand procurement rules; one-to-one Mentoring providing tailored support from experienced consultants; Sector-Specific Guidance aligned with industry and target markets.

ITI’s supports in public procurement have improved tendering skills and competitiveness, provided access to real-time insights from public sector buyers and increased success rates in public procurement bids.

Enterprise Ireland is very active in this space through “Meet the Buyer Events” where businesses can meet public sector buyers face-to-face, learn about upcoming tenders and buyer expectations and network with other suppliers and potential partners.

EI provides one-to-one support for companies bidding on large or complex tenders. It also provides guidance on consortia bidding, framework agreements and EU and international procurement rules.

More widely, EI helps Irish companies access global procurement markets, including EU institutions,

UN and World Bank tenders and large-scale infrastructure and development projects.

The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) organise a variety of training programmes and events throughout the year, designed to enhance the capabilities of SMEs in navigating the public procurement. LEO courses such as Winning Public Tenders – Understanding E-Tenders & Public Procurement or Understanding and Accessing the Public Procurement Processes, aims to equip participants with the tools to bid effectively for public sector opportunities.

These courses equip participants with the tools to navigate the public sector marketing place and to understand the process of how to bid effectively for public sector opportunities. Participants learn how to write compelling tenders, with a practical hands-on approach using templates and tools that participants can immediately use to provide comprehensive tenders and quotes to buyers.

In addition to these structured training programmes, LEOs offer one-to-one Mentoring, where experienced professionals provide personalised advice and guidance to businesses on specific tender applications and procurement queries, and Advisory Clinics, where businesses can discuss their procurement questions with experienced mentors.

I am satisfied that through this broad suite of interventions there are options for many enterprises to engage in and take advantage of public procurement opportunities and I would encourage them to continue to work closely with relevant bodies to maximise those opportunities going forward.