SOBRE LA DISCAPACIDAD
Regulación
- Statutory Code of Practice on Accessible Heritage Sites
- The Equal Status Acts 2000 outlaw discrimination in the provision of goods and services on grounds of disability
- The Equality Act 2004
- The Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2004 outlaw discrimination in employment on grounds of disability.
- Education of Persons with Special Education Needs Act 2004
- Citizens Information Act 2007
Información complementaria
Irlanda cuenta con la National Disability Authority (NDA), órgano estatutario independiente que proporciona información y asesoramiento al Gobierno sobre políticas y prácticas relevantes para la vida de las personas con discapacidad. En concreto, ayuda al Ministro de Justicia e Igualdad en la coordinación de la política de discapacidad.
Documentación
- National Disability Authority Strategic – Strategic Plan 2019 – 2021
- National Disability Authority - Annual Report 2017
- A Guide to Disability Law and Policy in Ireland
SOBRE CONTRATOS PÚBLICOS
Regulación
- S.I. No. 284/2016 (the “2016 Regulations”)
- S.I. No. 286/2016 (the “2016 Utilities Regulations”)
- S.I. No. 203/2017 (the “2017 Concessions Regulations”)
Como puede observarse, Irlanda ha aprobado recientemente normativa sobre contratos públicos que parte de la consideración de que estos se puede utilizar para alentar a los proveedores a realizar acciones centradas en consideraciones de política social más amplias, contemplando además medidas como la reserva de contratos a entidades cuyo objetivo principal sea la integración social y laboral de las personas con discapacidad o la exclusión de licitadores que no cumplan con las obligaciones legales en materia social, entre las que se incluyen las relativas a la accesibilidad.
Social considerations
Public procurement can be used to encourage suppliers to perform actions focussed on broader social policy considerations. In general, the inclusion of social considerations in a procurement process are most effective where the benefit is a core requirement and can be directly linked to the contracting authority’s policy or strategic plan. The social objectives should be clear and verifiable through the inclusion of an appropriate monitoring process. The appropriateness of including social considerations needs to be examined on contract by contract basis and there needs to be sufficient flexibility to allow each individual contracting authority to decide what, how and when social clauses can be used. EU law allows Member States the option to take social considerations into account provided the fundamental principles of the Treaties are respected.
Substantial planning, market consultation and stakeholder engagement is required before any decision can be considered on whether to use social clauses prior to the commencement of the procurement stage.
Experience in other jurisdictions suggests that social considerations are most relevant in larger scale infrastructure projects. (For example in Northern Ireland, social requirements are only considered in procurements above £2m for buildings contracts and above £4m for civil engineering contracts.)
This is a complex area and the inclusion of social consideration at any stage in a procurement process can come at a premium. Therefore, contracting authorities need to ensure that:
- the clauses are not discriminatory
- value for money is not adversely affected
- additional costs are not placed on domestic or smaller suppliers relative to other potential suppliers
- social clauses are linked to the subject matter of the contract
- the targeted benefit is capable of being measured and monitored during the execution of the contract
- the clauses do not negatively impact on the SME Sector
Targeted social clauses are effective in cases where they are actively supported by supply-side actions and monitoring and evaluation processes are in place.
In 2011, the European Commission published, ‘Buying Social: A Guide to Taking Account of Social Considerations in Public Procurement’. In this guide the Commission points out that social clauses can be used in public procurement when targeting social issues such as employment opportunities, equal opportunities and social inclusion. Once a decision has been taken by a contracting authority to use social clauses they should be clearly signalled at all stages of the procurement process from business case and specification stages through to the selection, award and contract management stages.
Reserved contracts
The 2016 Regulations extend the concept of a sheltered workshop. Under the 2016 Regulations, contracting authorities may decide to reserve the right to tender for any contract to a sheltered workshop which is now defined as one in which at least 30 per cent of the employees are either disabled or disadvantaged (rather than disabled only which was the case under the 2004 Directives). The term ‘disadvantaged’ is not defined in the 2016 Regulations. However, Recital 36 of Directive 2014/24/EU indicates that the term includes the unemployed, members of disadvantaged minorities or otherwise socially marginalised groups.
Contracting authorities may also reserve certain contracts for health, social and cultural services (these contracts are specifically listed by CPV code in Regulation 77 of the 2016 Regulations) to organisations such as not-for-profit organisations which meet certain conditions, namely the pursuit of a public service mission linked to the delivery of the relevant services and reinvestment of profits in the organisation. The management and ownership structure of the organisation performing the contract should be based on employee ownership or participatory principles or have active participation from employees or stake holders. The organisation should not have been awarded a contract for the services concerned in the preceding 3 years.
Exclusion grounds (discretionary)
Contracting authorities have discretion to disqualify candidates for competing in a public procurement competition for the following reasons: where the contracting authority can demonstrate violations of environmental, social and labour law obligations including rules on accessibility for disabled persons (…)
Documentación complementaria
- Public procurement guidelines for goods and services