Public Procurement Contracts
Seanad Éireann — 2026-01-20
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Frankie Feighan (FG), Sligo-Leitrim

I am pleased to have the opportunity to set out what the Government is doing to make public procurement more accessible to SMEs. I thank Senator Nelson Murray for raising this important matter. She referred to the rapidly changing world and to insurance cover. She also spoke about SMEs being both small and agile. I agree that we must look at the issue of insurance more closely.
The participation of SMEs, particularly microenterprises, small businesses and family businesses in public procurement is a key priority for me as Minister of State with special responsibility for public procurement. The programme for Government includes a commitment to reviewing the public procurement process to make it more transparent and to ensure greater participation from SMEs. I am working towards this aim and will set out the strategic direction of public procurement for the next five years. My Department is developing the first national public procurement strategy. Having been a small business owner myself, I am acutely aware of the challenges faced by SMEs when tendering for public contracts. I also chair the SME advisory group, which includes SME representative bodies. This affords me the opportunity to hear first-hand from SMEs about their experiences of tendering for public contracts.
Consultation and collaboration are central to ensuring that the strategy works for all involved. With that aim in mind, last year, the Department launched an extensive consultation exercise to ensure that those with an interest in the future direction of public procurement had an opportunity to inform the new strategy. In parallel with a public consultation, regional workshops were held in Dublin, Cork and Athlone and a dedicated webinar was held with suppliers. I am delighted with the level of engagement from the enterprise sector. Representatives from across the broad spectrum of Irish business have taken the opportunity to share with the Department their primary challenges, as the Senator raised, and work with us to identify possible solutions and areas of opportunity. Final discussions with colleagues across government and other key stakeholders, including business representative bodies, are taking place now to address ways to support SME participation, as well as to identify other desired outcomes and actions for inclusion in the strategy. Once finalised, the strategy will include objectives and cross-departmental actions to support the delivery of strategic, innovative, sustainable and transparent public procurement that promotes competition, value for money and makes it easier for SMEs to tender for public contracts. The strategy will build on the significant work undertaken by the Department in recent years to promote SME participation and to help them navigate the procurement process which, as the Senator knows, can be very onerous. We have adopted a two-pronged approach - making targeted, evidence-based policy interventions aimed at promoting the participation of SMEs and developing practical supports and resources for public buyers on steps they can take to promote greater SME participation and for suppliers to promote public procurement as a business opportunity and to assist them in navigating the process. The Department also participates in InterTradeIreland's Go-2-tender programme which provides support for companies to successfully apply for public contracts. Last November, the Department, with support from InterTradeIreland, held a first all-island supplier event. The key objective of this trade show was to inform SMEs and the wider supplier base of the benefits of doing business with the Government. The event provided opportunities for SMEs to meet public buyers from across the public sector and avail of learning zones covering topical procurement subjects. Over 40 exhibitors participated from across the public sector and 2,900 people attended the event on the day. Significant work is being undertaken to support SMEs accessing public procurement opportunities. I thank the Senator for raising this important issue.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-01-20/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:31+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-20