Green Public Procurement now includes 10% organic target

Minister Pippa Hackett has welcomed Government approval of the Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan, which states that a minimum of 10% of food purchased via public procurement must be certified organic. The Strategy also provides that the level of seasonal products included should be key criterion in public sector food procurement.

Minister Hackett commented:

"I have been working hard to develop our organic sector since 2020. In that time, we have seen a threefold increase in both the number of organic farmers and in the area of land farmed organically. Minister Ossian Smyth and I have worked closely over a number of months on this latest policy initiative to ensure that Government Departments and State Agencies purchase more organic and seasonal food, and I am delighted to see this reflected in the final Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan approved by Government."

Minister Hackett continued:

"From now, 10% by value of food sought by public sector bodies under new contract arrangements is to be certified organic. We want to support a diverse organic sector, so I felt it particularly important for the Strategy to provide that the 10% number should be hit across individual food categories, rather than the entire target being met through supplies of only one or two food categories."

Alluding to Ireland's environmental ambition, Minister Hackett noted:

"We have a target under the Climate Action Plan of 10% of agricultural land in Ireland to be farmed organically by 2030. One of the ways we can support even more farmers to make the switch to organic is for the State to become a purchaser of organic food, and we know that public procurement has worked really well in other EU member states as a policy lever to grow the organic sector. I look forward to seeing the results of this policy change here in Ireland over the coming years, alongside Bord Bia's organics promotional campaigns and increased presence at international organic trade events."

Minister Hackett concluded:

"The future is bright for Irish organic farming. There will be times of the year that we can provide organic food more readily, and in much greater supply, and those periods might well see much more than 10% organic food being used. Equally, there will of course be months when supply may be a bit lower. The key will be to hit the 10% figure across the course of the year, and I am really looking forward to seeing our State agencies and Government Departments contribute to that objective by offering nutritious, tasty organic food, produced in a way that delivers for farmers and for our environment."

Notes for editors

Green Public Procurement, or GPP, is widely recognised as a vital policy lever to achieving environmental objectives. Large purchasing power gives the public sector significant influence to stimulate the creation and provision of more resource-efficient, less polluting goods, services and works within the marketplace.

The public sector has a responsibility to promote green public procurement, to support Ireland's environmental and wider sustainable development objectives. Citizens need to be sure that what is purchased on their behalf has minimal harmful effects on the environment and society. At the same time, these goods, services and works must represent both short-term and long-term value for money.

The Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan replaces the previous national Green Public Procurement policy 'Green Tenders', which was more than a decade old. During this period, green public procurement commitments have become embedded in key areas of Government policy including Ireland's first Whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy, the Climate Action Plan, and the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy. The Programme for Government - 'Our Shared Future' - includes commitments relating to green public procurement.

The Strategy has been prepared against the background of significant changes in climate, energy, sustainability, and procurement policies over the last number of years. The new Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan will significantly increase Green Public Procurement implementation across the public sector.

The Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan is available to view on the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications website.