Public Procurement Contracts

Tuesday, 25 March 2025

Questions (301)

Mairéad Farrell

Question:

301. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to outline, in relation to public procurement carried out at local authority level, his views on reports (details supplied) that chief executives are aware of the European Commission’s statement that ‘The 2014 Public Procurement Directives allow contracting authorities to introduce social and ethical considerations in public procurement, including those related to human rights due diligence in international supply chains’, as currently some councillors are being informed by certain chief executives that such ethical considerations are incompatible with current EU procurement directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13894/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform

Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions and the discharge of their governance and other responsibilities. Procurement and tendering processes carried out by each local authority, and compliance with EU and national procurement rules in relation to the same, are directly a matter for the relevant Chief Executive. As set out Under Section 149 of the Local Government Act 2001 the Chief Executive is responsible for the executive functions of the local authority. This includes general management, administration and day to day running of the local authority, subject to law