The Government has launched Ireland's first overarching National Public Procurement Strategy, designed to improve transparency, strengthen competition and widen access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the public buying system.

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, and Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment, Frank Feighan, unveiled Procuring for Our Future: National Public Procurement Strategy 2026–2030. The five-year framework sets out a shared vision, values and objectives to guide how public services and infrastructure are procured across the State.

Developed following extensive stakeholder engagement, the Strategy centres on three outcomes: embedding value for money while accounting for wider social, economic and environmental impacts; using procurement as a core policy lever from the outset of policymaking; and simplifying processes so it is easier to do business with the State, especially for start-ups, microenterprises and social enterprises.

The plan's vision is to deliver strategic, innovative, sustainable and transparent procurement that supports SMEs, boosts competition and delivers better public services. It couples this ambition with strong expenditure control, emphasising disciplined, evidence-based decision-making to ensure public funds achieve best value.

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, said: "This Strategy represents a significant step towards realising this Government's ambition to harness the spending power of the State as a strategic investment mechanism, delivering value for money and supporting enterprise growth in order to ensure better outcomes for our people, our economy and our environment.

"This Strategy marks the beginning of a wider programme of procurement transformation. I have updated Government on plans to increase visibility of public procurement expenditure, an important step towards a transparent public procurement system that earns and maintains public trust through efficient and responsible public spending. I also intend to update Government on plans to ensure greater centralisation in due course, enabling the State to make better use of its collective purchasing power to achieve best possible value for money.

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"Delivery of the Strategy will require a whole of Government effort and I look forward to working with colleagues across Government as we look to realise our shared vision of strategic, innovative, sustainable and transparent public procurement that supports SMEs, competition, and better public services."

Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment, Frank Feighan, said: "Procuring for our future" marks the beginning of a new chapter for public procurement in Ireland by setting the strategic direction for the next five years.

"Each day, small and micro businesses are competing for and winning public contracts. More than four in every five contracts awarded last year went to SMEs. While this demonstrates the important role SMEs already play in public procurement, I want to build on this momentum.

"The voices of Irish businesses have helped shape this Strategy, and I look forward to continuing that engagement as we work together to implement its ambitious programme of reform.

"The Strategy also recognises the important role public procurement can play in promoting social inclusion. While value for money remains paramount, public procurement can also contribute to wider societal benefit by promoting, for example, accessibility, skills development, greater participation by social enterprises and workforce participation among people with disabilities.

"I look forward to working with colleagues across Government, the public sector and the supplier community to realise the full potential of public procurement as a force for economic growth, social progress and better public services."

To deliver its aims, the Strategy sets four core values—transparency, procuring for impact, value for money and efficiency—and is structured around five pillars: investing in Ireland's enterprise base; procuring for a greener, more inclusive and resilient future; safeguarding public trust through a transparent and legally certain system; building capability so public buyers have the skills and supports to deliver; and managing complexity by simplifying processes and leveraging digital and emerging technologies.

Across these pillars, the plan outlines 15 objectives and 51 actions with supporting Key Performance Indicators to track delivery. The Programme for Government 2025 commitment to review procurement to enhance transparency and SME participation is advanced through this Strategy.

The consultation programme informing the plan included a public call with 143 responses; regional roadshows in Cork, Dublin and Athlone with 153 participants; a supplier webinar attended by 85 stakeholders; and more than 75 meetings with policymakers, public buyers and business bodies.

Implementation has already begun, including social enterprise representation on the SME Advisory Group chaired by Minister Feighan; a webinar series on procurement essentials for SMEs, with the first session attracting over 800 participants; journey-mapping with buyers and suppliers to identify simplification opportunities; a North-West Public Procurement Breakfast Event for suppliers in Sligo on 8 September; and initial planning for a national supplier Expo in 2027 following last year's event, which drew almost 2,900 attendees.

The Strategy is available at: www.gov.ie/en/office-of-government-procurement/publications/procuring-for-our-future-national-public-procurement-strategy-2026-2030/