Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Huge crowd attend Sinn Féin's Procurement Seminar

Published: 15 January, 2010

Newry/Armagh MLA Mickey Brady has said that the Sinn Fein organised event addressed by Minister Conor Murphy MP MLA and senior officials from the Central Procurement Directorate (CPD) within the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) was hugely successful. The event which took place last Wednesday in Ballybot House, Newry provided local businesses and companies with the opportunity to access Government contracts.

Mr Brady said;

"Sinn Fein decided to organise this event, in our capacity as elected representatives for Newry Armagh, in order to offer practical advice and assistance in order to help local businesses in the Newry Armagh area gain access to public procurement projects. We invited business across Newry and South Armagh to attend the event. Almost immediately we began receiving extremely positive feedback to the invites."

"The Central Procurement Directorate is the agency which is responsible for all policy relating to government contracts, whether that is in the construction industry or the provision of goods and services. This covers all contracts which government departments put out to tender.

"Up to £20 billion has been earmarked for such projects under the Investment Strategy over the next 10 years and we want to ensure that local firms have every opportunity to access these contracts. If local companies have had difficulties with this process in the past, then this is also an opportunity to give voice to those concerns.

"Over 70 businesses were represented at the event. This is evidence of the huge interest in securing these contracts. We are now in the process of organising similar events for this area in the future.

"Anyone interested can find out more by either telephoning or emailing our office at 02830261693 or info.newry@sinn-fein.ie"