COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 08, 2023

QUESTION NO. 12

QUESTION: Councillor M. Johansson

To ask the Chief Executive what local employment clauses are currently contained in the tendering contracts for Part 8 projects, and to provide the full wording of it?

REPLY:

Whilst procurement is primarily focused on enabling the delivery of public services in a sustainable manner by ensuring value for money and broad access to public procurement opportunities for businesses, there are possibilities to deliver wider social and environmental aims through the procurement processes. This can be achieved through the inclusion of social considerations as requirements throughout the process, from setting the specifications and award criteria through to the management of the contract.

Examples of social considerations that can be factored into procurement processes include: employment and training opportunities for disadvantaged groups; disability access; promoting social inclusion; or combating climate change. As with other aspects of public procurement, there are EU and national rules that determine what and how such considerations can successfully be incorporated.

The Council’s commitment to including social clauses is reflected in the Council’s Corporate Procurement Plan. To date, social employment clause provisions have been included in two library construction projects and two housing development projectsas follows:
• North Clondalkin Library
• Castletymon Library
• Kilcarbery Housing Development
• Killinarden Housing Development

The social employment clauses contained similar provisions, as summarised below:
• A percentage of the aggregate number of person weeks to be carried out by individuals who were registered on a national unemployment register for a continuous period of at least 12 months immediately prior to their employment
• A percentage of the person weeks to be carried out by individuals employed under a registered scheme of apprenticeship or equivalent national training or educational work placement arrangement