Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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1834. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to state whether his Department or any agency operating under its aegis has, in the past five years, used reserved contracts or included social clauses in public procurement tenders; and if so, to detail the types of contracts or clauses used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42520/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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For the period in question my Department has published reserved contracts on two occasions. There is currently one contract in place which was published in accordance with Article 20 of DIRECTIVE 2014/24/EU on public procurement which reserves the tendering procedures for companies that promote the integration of disadvantaged persons. This gives organisations whose main aim is the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons solely the right to participate in public procurements.

The Department has an existing framework agreement for ICT projects which has included social clauses in the tendering process.

The bodies under the aegis of the Department, the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal tender in accordance with the OGP guidelines but have not used reserved contracts or included specific social clauses in public procurement tenders undertaken in the past five years.

My Department is at present working with a number of social enterprises with a view to building their capacity so that they will be better able to tender for public procurements.

My Department, with the bodies under the aegis of my Department, will continue to work in accordance with OGP guidance, national legislation and EU Directives, with the objective of promoting and facilitating the inclusion of reserved contracting and social clauses in their tendering process.