Public procurement in Ireland and across the European Union is entering a more mature phase, with sustainability becoming increasingly embedded in the rules governing public purchasing. A.&L. Goodbody's analysis of the evolving EU and Irish procurement landscape, published in August 2026, highlights how environmental considerations are moving from policy ambition towards a more established part of procurement practice. The Supreme Court's ruling in Coolglass Windfarm Limited v An Bord Pleanála [2026] IESC 5 confirmed that section 15 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 requires public bodies to engage substantively with climate objectives when exercising their statutory functions. Alongside Circular 17/2025, which strengthened green public procurement requirements across the public sector, and the European Commission's forthcoming Public Procurement Act expected in early September 2026, Ireland now has an opportunity to use procurement as a strategic tool for sustainability, resilience and long-term value.

The legal landscape described by ALG is broad, with EU legislation increasingly incorporating environmental considerations into public purchasing. The Net Zero Industry Act, Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, Construction Products Regulation, Batteries Regulation, Energy Efficiency Directive and Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation all introduce sustainability considerations relevant to different categories of public procurement. Circular 17/2025 further strengthens the role of Green Public Procurement, including the use of GPP criteria and greater consideration of lifecycle impacts. For procurement professionals, this represents more than an additional compliance requirement. It provides a clearer framework for considering factors such as energy efficiency, durability, repairability, carbon performance and resource efficiency when assessing long-term value.

Ireland's experience also demonstrates the potential benefits of this approach. Research from the International Institute for Sustainable Development highlights how Ireland has developed GPP through practical criteria, lifecycle costing tools and professional development. The GPP Criteria Search platform gives contracting authorities access to environmental criteria across 11 priority procurement categories, helping make sustainable procurement more accessible beyond specialist teams. Transport Infrastructure Ireland's CO₂ Performance Ladder pilot delivered a 21% reduction in construction carbon emissions in a single contract, while the Office of Public Works reduced the carbon intensity of carpet tiles by more than half through the use of Environmental Product Declarations. These examples show that sustainability criteria can support measurable improvements in procurement outcomes.

Three opportunities stand out for Irish contracting authorities. First, procurement teams can use Circular 17/2025 as a framework for strengthening how sustainability is incorporated into tender documentation, rather than treating environmental criteria as an isolated exercise. Reviewing existing procurement processes can help identify where lifecycle costs, carbon performance, energy efficiency or circularity could provide a more complete picture of value.

Second, contracting authorities can build sustainability considerations earlier into the procurement lifecycle. Assessing environmental impacts during pre-procurement planning gives buyers greater scope to engage the market, understand available solutions and develop proportionate requirements. This can also encourage suppliers to demonstrate innovation and improve the environmental performance of the goods, works and services they provide.

Third, procurement professionals can strengthen the skills needed to evaluate sustainability effectively. Organisations such as CIPS Ireland provide opportunities for procurement professionals to develop commercial, strategic and sustainability-related capabilities. As the EU procurement framework evolves, stronger expertise in lifecycle costing, sustainable sourcing and contract management can help Irish teams turn new requirements into better purchasing decisions.

Ireland's green public procurement framework should therefore be viewed not simply as a regulatory development, but as an opportunity to strengthen the quality of public purchasing. By considering sustainability alongside cost, performance and resilience, contracting authorities can make decisions that deliver greater value throughout the life of an asset or service.

The opportunity is significant. Public purchasing power can influence supplier behaviour, encourage innovation and help create markets for more sustainable products and services. With the legal framework developing, practical tools already available and procurement professionals gaining greater access to sustainability expertise, Ireland is well positioned to make green procurement a driver of better public-sector outcomes rather than simply another compliance exercise.