Green firms to get priority in contracts, says Gormley

FIRMS WITH environmentally-friendly policies are to get priority in competing for State contracts worth up to €16 billion a year, Minister for the Environment John Gormley has said.

Department of the Environment officials are drafting a plan aimed at “greening” at least half of the Government’s contracts each year. The plan, which will be in line with EU environmental regulations on public spending, is due to be put to the Cabinet within two months.

Firms operating environment protection policies, such as saving energy and curbing pollution, will be given priority in competing for contracts, Mr Gormley said.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day Green Party exhibition on the green economy at Croke Park yesterday, Mr Gormley said the change in Government purchasing policy would give more opportunities to Irish small and medium-sized firms competing with bigger companies in the EU.

The green economy was already worth almost €3 billion a year in the Republic and provided 6,500 jobs with the potential to grow to between 75,000 and 100,000 jobs in a few years, he said.

Employing green companies would not increase costs to the exchequer, Mr Gormley said. “It will save money. Investing in energy-efficient equipment will reduce running costs, for example.”

Six key areas have been identified as being particularly suited to green procurement. These are: construction projects, purchase of cleaning products, clothing and textile costs, electricity, office machinery, food and paper.