Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the publication of Procuring for our Future: National Public Procurement Strategy 2026–2030, Ireland’s first overarching national strategy for public procurement.

The new Strategy establishes a shared vision, values and objectives for the public procurement system, which plays a critical role in delivering public services and critical infrastructure. It provides a framework for public procurement across the State over the next five years and aims to make the system more transparent while ensuring greater participation from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Welcoming the Strategy, Minister Canney said: “This Strategy is an important step towards making public procurement more transparent, more efficient and more accessible for businesses across Ireland.”

“Public procurement plays a vital role in delivering public services and infrastructure. This Strategy provides a clear roadmap to ensure public money delivers the best possible value for money while supporting enterprise growth, innovation, sustainability and greater opportunities for Irish businesses.”

The Strategy focuses on three key outcomes:

  • Embedding value for money and considering wider societal, economic and environmental outcomes alongside sound expenditure management.
  • Driving a shift in mindset so that public procurement is used as a key policy tool and considered from the outset of policy formation.
  • Simplifying the procurement system and making it easier to do business with Government, particularly for start-ups, microenterprises and social enterprises.

The Strategy is underpinned by a vision to deliver strategic, innovative, sustainable and transparent public procurement that supports SMEs, competition, value for money and better public services.

To deliver this vision, the Strategy includes 15 objectives and 51 supporting actions, structured across five strategic pillars:

  • Investing in Ireland’s enterprise base by supporting greater SME participation.
  • Procuring for a greener, more socially inclusive and resilient future.
  • Safeguarding public trust through transparency, accountability and responsible public spending.
  • Building procurement capability across the public sector.
  • Managing complexity by simplifying the procurement system and making better use of digital technologies.