Public Affairs Ireland, Procurement Forum 2025
- Circuleire IMR
- Oct 7
- 2 min read
Public Affairs Ireland’s recent Procurement Forum brought together leaders from government, law, policy, and practice to explore how procurement in Ireland can be a genuine driver of change.
Minister of State Emer Higgins opened the forum by introducing the new National Procurement Strategy and Roadmap. She emphasised that procurement is no longer just about securing the lowest price; it is about delivering broader value for every euro spent. Highlighting its potential, she explained how procurement can support SMEs, drive regional development, and advance environmental goals. With €175 billion in public capital investment planned, initiatives such as nationwide roadshows and the first-ever Supply Exposition this November showcase the government’s commitment to transforming the way Ireland procures goods and services.
Three themes repeatedly emerged throughout the day: strategy, digitalisation, and the circular economy. Emma McBride, Director of Public Affairs Ireland (PAI), likened them to the wheels and pedals of a bike that must work together to keep progress moving forward.
Mags O’Callaghan from the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) shared Ireland’s work with the OECD on a national digital procurement roadmap. She acknowledged that the current system is fragmented and overly complex but stressed that successful change depends on input from both experts and novices. She explained that hearing from individuals with different levels of experience is crucial to building a genuinely user-friendly system.
Other speakers added further depth to the conversation. Paul McEvoy, from the Dublin Business School (DBS), cautioned against adopting technology for its own sake. He noted that digitalisation is only valuable if it leads to better outcomes and more intelligent decisions.
Peter Curran of Beauchamps reminded attendees of the importance of legal foundations, fairness, transparency, and clear feedback in every procurement process. Adding a sustainability lens to the topic at hand, circular economist Vojtech Vosecky, entered the conversation. He challenged the audience to view procurement as a tool for sustainability, sharing examples from across Europe where circular approaches have reduced waste, cut emissions, and created new markets.
The forum concluded with reflections from a panel comprising Vojtech Vosecky, representatives from the EPA and An Post, as well as Irish Manufacturing Research Director of Circular Economy Innovation, Dr. Geraldine Brennan. This panel emphasised that while public procurement is already a powerful lever for change, organisations must shift their mindsets and embed sustainability into their daily operations.
Overall, the discussions pointed clearly to a shared vision: procurement can be a strategic lever for economic opportunity, sustainability, and resilience, but only if approached with ambition and collaboration, concluding that:
Strategy, digitalisation, and circular economy thinking must be integrated, not treated as separate agendas.
Both experts and novices should be engaged to design systems that work for all users.
Procurement should be used as an economic tool to support SMEs and foster innovation.
Fairness and transparency should be kept at the heart of every process, ensuring trust and accountability.
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