Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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1162. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department or any agency operating under the aegis of her Department, have used reserved contracts or social clauses in their public procurement tenders in the past five years; if so, the nature of the reserved contract or social clause; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42847/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Over the last 5 years, my department has not used reserved contracts or social clauses in its public procurement tenders for Goods and Services. My department is currently working to develop further training resources in line with the recently published Circular 17/2025 to encourage the use of socially responsible public procurement in its procurements.

The Planning and Building Unit (PBU) use the Construction Works Management Framework (CWMF) suite of documentation for the procurement of works and works related services. The PBU does not directly utilise Reserved Contracts to promote social and economic inclusion as Works Contractors and Works related Service Providers do not typically meet the thresholds under the 2016 regulations in terms of being a qualifying organisation. PBU procurement competitions do however include multiple social clauses, for example:

The Works Requirements and Scope of Works include various environmental requirements and related standards including the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations as well as works aimed to improve sustainability and whole life carbon reduction

• Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs) and Suitability Assessment Questionnaires (SAQs) issued for works packages or works frameworks include criteria which assessed Tenderers financial viability, Applicant’s Personal Situation and Professional Trade Registration
• All Tenderers are required to submit their sustainability and modern slavery and human trafficking policies at tender stage with submissions being reviewed for acceptance.
• Apprenticeship and training requirements.
• Fair working conditions and compliance with labour laws.