947. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in relation of public procurement, Article 20 of Directive 2014/24/EU, the Departments and public bodies within the State that are reserving tendering procedures for social enterprises and companies that employ a high percentage of disabled or disadvantaged individuals, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62254/26]

Public procurement competitions are advertised using standard notices provided by the European Commission. Referred to as eForms, these notices were extensively revised and implemented on tendering platforms across the EU including on eTenders. In place since October 2023, the new eForms require Contracting Authorities to include on their notices information on the participation and execution of reserved contracts and the use of criteria relevant to social objectives. Information on reserved contracts is currently minimal but information the use of social criteria is captured through eForms. Responsibility for including, and the accuracy of, this information lies with each Contracting Authority. Where provided, this information is published in public procurement notices available on eTenders and the EU Tenders’ Electronic Daily (TED), where relevant. To assist Contracting Authorities in the accurate completion of procurement notices, my Department has provided guidance specific to eForms on the OGP website.

In 2025 there were two contracts awarded for competitions which stated that the procurement pertained to ‘employment opportunities for the long-term unemployed, disadvantaged or persons with disabilities’, with a further three awarded as of August 31 this year.

I recently published Ireland’s first National Public Procurement Strategy (https://ogp.cloud.gov.ie/Pages/Home.aspx), which has a number of dedicated actions to support the participation of social enterprises in public procurement, as well as actions targeted at supporting the uptake of socially responsible public procurement and social inclusion. Working with Departments, in line with their areas of policy responsibility, DPER will take steps to promote awareness of the use of public procurement to deliver wider government objectives promoting social inclusion.