Irish Trade Minister Mary Coughlan has discussed a project aimed at improving opportunities for small and medium enterprise (SME) access to public procurement opportunities.

Ms Coughlan, speaking in Brussels at a meeting of the EU's Competitiveness Council, emphasised to colleagues that EU procurement rules must also reflect the Union's "think small first" approach to entrepreneurship.

She confirmed that the project now underway in Ireland would implement a number of actions aimed at breaking down barriers to SMEs' access to public contracts.

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The Minister said these would include measures to ensure minimisation of the transaction costs of preparing and submitting tenders.

Proposals discussed include maximising the application of the national public procurement website and electronic procurement opportunities; breaking down contracts into lots; and encouraging partnering among SMEs and also encouraging larger companies to sub-contract.

Minister Coughlan said: "Public procurement is not all about achieving the lowest cost, it is about getting best value for money.

"It is my intention that the initiative now underway will ensure that those smaller enterprises do not find the requirements to enter that competitive process too high."

The Minister said she is currently working on proposals to address the trade credit insurance issues facing Irish companies, and will be bringing the conclusions of that work to Government shortly.

(PR/JM)