Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

537. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is aware of instances where suppliers increase prices on the basis that the purchaser is a public authority or State body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58430/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

This PQ has been answered under a consolidated/composite response to PQ 58431/25.

58431/25:

Public Procurement is governed by EU legislation and national rules/guidelines. EU Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement (goods, services and works) has been transposed into Irish Law in the form of corresponding Regulations - S.I. No. 284/2016 - European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts). My department has published the Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services to provide a comprehensive interpretation of this legal code, to serve as national rules, and to improve consistency and promote best practice in the application of these rules. The Guidelines explicitly stating that the procurement process is structured to reflect the Public Spending Code project lifecycle, which includes Identification of Needs, Design and Planning, Implementation, Business Case, Procurement, Review and Post-award Appraisal.

The Budget Approval step is directly linked to the Public Spending Code, which includes guidance on cost estimation and inflation adjustments in business cases.

Public bodies are encouraged to perform market research before public contracts are published thereby opening them up to competition. All compliant tenders are subsequently evaluated and contracts awarded to the ‘Lowest Price’ or ‘Most Economically Advantageous Tender’ (combination of cost and quality criteria) depending on the type of award criteria used.

Contract Award Notice (CAN) data on eTenders provides data on the total value of each contract based on the actual price included in each winning tender.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

538. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if instances where suppliers increase prices on the basis that the purchaser is a public authority or State body and are occurring, if there is data or audit evidence national or sectoral documenting the scale and financial impact of those price uplifts on public procurement over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58431/25]

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

539. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the provisions in the spending code there are and in the Office of Government Procurement guidance to prevent price inflation that may arise solely from a supplier knowing that the purchaser is a public authority or State body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58432/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 538 and 539 together.

Public Procurement is governed by EU legislation and national rules/guidelines. EU Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement (goods, services and works) has been transposed into Irish Law in the form of corresponding Regulations - S.I. No. 284/2016 - European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts). My department has published the Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services to provide a comprehensive interpretation of this legal code, to serve as national rules, and to improve consistency and promote best practice in the application of these rules. The Guidelines explicitly stating that the procurement process is structured to reflect the Public Spending Code project lifecycle, which includes Identification of Needs, Design and Planning, Implementation, Business Case, Procurement, Review and Post-award Appraisal.

The Budget Approval step is directly linked to the Public Spending Code, which includes guidance on cost estimation and inflation adjustments in business cases.

Public bodies are encouraged to perform market research before public contracts are published thereby opening them up to competition. All compliant tenders are subsequently evaluated and contracts awarded to the ‘Lowest Price’ or ‘Most Economically Advantageous Tender’ (combination of cost and quality criteria) depending on the type of award criteria used.

Contract Award Notice (CAN) data on eTenders provides data on the total value of each contract based on the actual price included in each winning tender.