Preasráiteas: Sraitheanna Straitéisí Nua um Sholáthar Sóisialta seolta ag an Aire Buttimer chun Trádáil idir Cheannaitheoirí Poiblí agus Fiontair Shóisialta a Neartú
Press Release
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Minister Buttimer Launches New Social Procurement Toolkits to Strengthen Trade Between Public Buyers and Social Enterprises
- National Event Connects Public Buyers and Social Enterprises, Builds Awareness of Socially Responsible Public Procurement and Helps Buyers and Social Enterprises Deliver Social Value and Support Communities
Minister of State for Communities, Jerry Buttimer TD, today (Tuesday, 13 October 2026) welcomed public sector buyers and social enterprises from across Ireland to a Connecting Public Procurement and Social Enterprises “Unlocking Social Value” event in Dublin, where he launched two new Social Procurement Toolkits designed to support increased trading between public buyers and social enterprises.
The event, jointly supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG) and Pobal, brought together representatives from Government Departments, State agencies, local authorities, education and other public bodies with social enterprises to build capacity for increased public procurement that delivers wider social, environmental and community benefits beyond traditional value for money.
The event forms part of the Government’s commitment under Trading for Impact, Ireland’s National Social Enterprise Policy, to support initiatives that increase the participation of social enterprises in public and private procurement and build their financial sustainability.
Launching the toolkits, Minister Buttimer said:
“Public procurement is a powerful tool for Government at all levels. Through Socially Responsible Public Procurement, we have an opportunity not only to secure quality goods and services and achieve value for money, but also to strengthen communities, create employment opportunities, support social inclusion and help social enterprises to grow and thrive.”
Speaking of their support for the event, Anna Shakespeare, CEO of Pobal, said:
“Bringing people together, sharing knowledge and creating opportunities for greater social value is central to Pobal’s strategy. We were delighted to work in partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht on this event and the wider programme of supports that preceded it. The two toolkits developed through this initiative will be valuable practical resources, helping public buyers and social enterprises build confidence, strengthen collaboration and maximise the social and community benefits that can be achieved through public procurement.”
The toolkits launched today have been developed to provide practical guidance for both social enterprises and public sector buyers.
The Social Enterprise Toolkit supports social enterprises to:
- Understand Socially Responsible Public Procurement;
- Identify public procurement opportunities;
- Communicate and demonstrate their social value;
- Become more procurement ready; and
- Strengthen their participation in public procurement processes.
The Public Buyer Toolkit supports public buyers to:
- Identify opportunities to incorporate social considerations into procurement;
- Understand the potential contribution of social enterprises;
- Develop social value approaches within procurement processes; and
- Evaluate social value proposals alongside other procurement requirements such as ability to deliver and traditional value for money concerns.
Speaking at the event, Minister Buttimer highlighted the important contribution social enterprises make to communities throughout Ireland:
“Social enterprises already deliver many of the outcomes that Government seeks to achieve. They create employment, strengthen local economies, provide essential services, advance environmental sustainability and reinvest their profits back into their communities. Supporting greater participation by social enterprises in public procurement can help build a stronger, more resilient and more sustainable sector.”
The Minister also welcomed the strong alignment between Trading for Impact and the Office of Government Procurement’s recently published National Public Procurement Strategy, noting that both seek to maximise the wider social, economic and environmental benefits arising from public expenditure.
The event also featured contributions from the Office of Government Procurement, Pobal, public buyers and social enterprises, with discussions focusing on practical approaches to increasing participation in social procurement and strengthening collaboration between buyers and suppliers.
Minister Buttimer concluded by encouraging public buyers to actively consider how procurement can deliver wider societal benefits and urged social enterprises to engage with the opportunities presented through public procurement:
“Today’s event marks an important step forward in growing social procurement in Ireland. By working together, public buyers and social enterprises can help ensure that public spending delivers not only services and value for money, but also stronger communities and better outcomes for citizens.”
Preasráiteas
Dé Máirt, 13 Deireadh Fómhair 2026
Sraitheanna Straitéisí Nua um Sholáthar Sóisialta seolta ag an Aire Buttimer chun Trádáil idir Cheannaitheoirí Poiblí agus Fiontair Shóisialta a Neartú
- Imeacht Náisiúnta Reáchtáilte chun Ceannaitheoirí Poiblí a cheangal le Fiontair Shóisialta, le Feasacht a Chothú ar Sholáthar Poiblí atá Freagrach go Sóisialta, agus chun Cabhrú le Fiontair Shóisialta le Luach Sóisialta a sholáthar agus Tacú le Pobail
Chuir an tAire Stáit do Phobail, Jerry Buttimer TD, fáilte inniu (Dé Máirt, 13 Deireadh Fómhair 2026) roimh cheannaitheoirí earnála poiblí agus fiontair shóisialta ó gach cearn d’Éirinn go himeacht um Sholáthar Poiblí agus Fiontair Shóisialta a Cheangal, “Ligean leis an Luach Sóisialta” i mBaile Átha Cliath, inar sheol sé dhá Shraith Straitéisí nua um Sholáthar Sóisialta chun tacú le breis trádála idir cheannaitheoirí poiblí agus fiontair shóisialta.
Le linn an imeachta, arna chomhreáchtáil ag an Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta (RFTPG) agus Pobal, tugadh ionadaithe ó Ranna Rialtais, Gníomhaireachtaí Stáit, údaráis áitiúla, an earnáil oideachais agus comhlachtaí poiblí eile le chéile le fiontair shóisialta chun inniúlacht a fhorbairt i gcomhair soláthar poiblí méadaithe, lena soláthrófar tuilleadh buntáistí sóisialta, comhshaoil agus pobail, sa bhreis ar luach ar airgead.
Tá an t-imeacht mar chuid de ghealltanas an Rialtais faoi Trádáil ar mhaithe le Tionchar, Beartas Náisiúnta na hÉireann um Fhiontraíocht Shóisialta, chun tacú le tionscnaimh lena gcuirfear borradh faoi rannpháirtíocht fiontar sóisialta i soláthar poiblí agus príobháideach agus lena méadófar a n-inbhuanaitheacht airgeadais.
Agus na sraitheanna straitéisí á seoladh aige, dúirt an tAire Buttimer:
“Is uirlis chumhachtach don Rialtas é an soláthar poiblí ar gach leibhéal. Trí Sholáthar Poiblí atá Freagrach go Sóisialta, tá an deis againn ní amháin chun earraí agus seirbhísí d’ardchaighdeán a fháil agus luach ar airgead a bhaint amach, ach chun pobail a neartú, deiseanna fostaíochta a chruthú, tacú le hionchuimsiú sóisialta agus cabhrú le fiontair shóisialta chun teacht faoi bhláth.”
Agus í ag labhairt faoina dtacaíocht don imeacht, dúirt Anna Shakespeare, POF Pobal:
“Oibríonn Pobal chun daoine a thabhairt le chéile, eolas a chomhroinnt agus deiseanna a chruthú i gcomhair breis luacha shóisialta, mar chuid lárnach dár straitéis. Ba chúis áthais dúinn a bheith ag obair i gcomhar leis an Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta i leith an imeachta seo agus an chláir tacaíochtaí níos leithne a tháinig roimhe. Beidh an dá shraith straitéisí a forbraíodh tríd an tionscnamh seo ina n-acmhainní praiticiúla luachmhara, le cuidiú le ceannaitheoirí poiblí agus fiontair shóisialta chun muinín a chothú, comhar a neartú agus na buntáistí sóisialta agus pobail ar féidir a bhaint amach trí sholáthar poiblí a uasmhéadú.”
Forbraíodh na sraitheanna straitéisí a seoladh inniu chun treoir phraiticiúil a thabhairt d’fhiontair shóisialta agus do cheannaitheoirí earnála poiblí araon.
Tacaíonn an tSraith Straitéisí d’Fhiontair Shóisialta le fiontair shóisialta chun:
- Tuiscint a fháil ar Sholáthar Poiblí atá Freagrach go Sóisialta;
- Deiseanna soláthair phoiblí a shainaithint;
- A luach sóisialta a chur in iúl agus a léiriú;
- Éirigh níos réitithe don tsoláthar; agus
- A rannpháirtíocht i bpróisis soláthair phoiblí a neartú.
Tacaíonn an tSraith Straitéisí do Cheannaitheoirí Poiblí le ceannaitheoirí poiblí chun:
- Deiseanna a shainaithint chun ceisteanna sóisialta a thabhairt isteach sa tsoláthar;
- Tuiscint a fháil ar cad is féidir le fiontair shóisialta a chur ar fáil;
- Cineálacha cur chuige i leith luach sóisialta a fhorbairt laistigh de phróisis soláthair; agus
- Measúnú a dhéanamh ar thograí luacha shóisialta in éineacht le riachtanais soláthair eile amhail cumas seachadta agus gnáthcheisteanna faoi luach ar airgead.
Agus é ag labhairt ag an imeacht, luaigh an tAire Buttimer an obair thábhachtach a dhéanann fiontair shóisialta i bpobail ar fud na tíre:
“Baineann fiontair shóisialta neart de na torthaí amach cheana atá an Rialtas ag iarraidh a bhaint amach. Cruthaíonn siad fostaíocht, neartaíonn siad geilleagair áitiúla, cuireann siad seirbhísí bunriachtanacha ar fáil, cuireann siad inbhuanaitheacht chomhshaoil chun cinn agus déanann siad a mbrabús a athinfheistiú ina bpobail. Is féidir earnáil níos láidre, níos acmhainní agus níos inbhuanaithe a fhorbairt trí thacú le breis rannpháirtíochta ag na fiontair shóisialta i soláthar poiblí.”
Chuir an tAire fáilte freisin roimh an chomhréiteach láidir idir Trádáil ar mhaithe le Tionchar agus an Straitéis Náisiúnta um Sholáthar Poiblí de chuid na hOifige um Sholáthar Rialtais, agus é ag tabhairt faoi deara go bhfuil an dá cheann acu dírithe ar an líon is mó buntáistí sóisialta, eacnamaíocha agus comhshaoil a bhaint amach leis an chaiteachas phoiblí.
Bhí páirt san imeacht ag an Oifig um Sholáthar Rialtais, Pobal, ceannaitheoirí poiblí agus fiontair shóisialta freisin, le pléití a bhí dírithe ar chineálacha cur chuige praiticiúla i leith rannpháirtíocht sa tsoláthar shóisialta a mhéadú agus comhar idir cheannaitheoirí agus soláthróirí a neartú.
Ar deireadh, mhol an tAire Buttimer do cheannaitheoirí poiblí machnamh a dhéanamh ar conas ar féidir buntáistí sóisialta níos leithne a bhaint amach trí sholáthar, agus ghríosaigh sé fiontair shóisialta chun tairbhe a bhaint as na deiseanna atá ar fáil leis an tsoláthar phoiblí:
“Céim thábhachtach chun tosaigh é imeacht an lae inniu chun soláthar sóisialta a fhorbairt in Éirinn. Trína bheith ag obair le chéile, is féidir le ceannaitheoirí poiblí agus fiontair shóisialta cabhrú chun cinnte a dhéanamh, ní amháin go bhfaightear seirbhísí agus luach ar airgead le caiteachas poiblí, ach pobail níos láidre agus torthaí níos fearr do shaoránaigh chomh maith.”