CSSO Public Procurement Law Conference 2026
- Published on: 12 May 2026
- Last updated on: 12 May 2026
The Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO) hosted its Procurement Law Client Conference at Dublin Castle on Thursday 7 May, bringing senior delegates from across Government together for a focused examination of a rapidly changing public procurement landscape.
The conference was opened by Minister Frank Feighan with responsibility for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and E-Government, who highlighted the significant changes underway in government procurement at both the national and European level, including the imminent publication of Ireland’s first National Public Procurement Strategy and the growing role of digitalisation and AI in procurement processes.
"Public procurement is playing an increasingly important role in supporting innovation, digital transformation and the delivery of better public services.
"As the procurement landscape continues to evolve, events such as this are important in bringing together the expertise and collaboration needed to support effective public procurement across Government."
Minister Frank Feighan
Setting the scene for the day, Deputy Assistant Chief State Solicitor, Gwen Considine, who heads the CSSO’s Public Procurement Law Section, provided an overview of the shifting legal terrain – from the proposed reform of the Public Procurement Directives to new measures such as the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act and the Net Zero Industry Act, and how they intersect with procurement practice. She also previewed the day's themes and the thinking behind them.
"The central message of our conference is that procurement is no longer just about following rules – it is about using those rules with confidence, flexibility and judgment to deliver strategic outcomes.
"Practitioners today are operating in an environment that is more complex, more demanding, and more consequential than ever before. But within that complexity there is also an opportunity to use procurement as a tool to support sustainability, drive innovation, strengthen resilience and deliver real public value."
Deputy Assistant Chief State Solicitor Gwen Considine
The first panel, Public Procurement in a Crisis, chaired by Principal Solicitor Cliodhna Middleton, examined flexibility in public procurement through the lens of EU and Irish case law. Nathy Dunleavy SC and Principal Solicitor Caroline Looney delivered the headline contributions, followed by a panel discussion that also featured Anne Barron, Advisory Counsel at the Office of the Attorney General.
After coffee, attention turned to ICT contracts. Principal Solicitor Audrey Murtagh introduced a session that brought a distinctly European dimension to proceedings, with Maria Veronica Perez Asinari of DG Connect outlining the EU perspective on data and AI-related issues. Specialist State Solicitor Higher Simon Earls followed with a practitioner's view of AI and procurement, before joining Specialist State Solicitor Higher Raymond Horan and Ms Perez Asinari for a moderated discussion.
Chief State Solicitor, Maria Browne delivered the closing address, reflecting on the themes of the day.
"The key to supporting our clients is engagement through events like this Conference and in other ways like secondments and placements. They provide opportunities for us to learn and understand our clients’ needs – your needs.
"Working alongside our clients and embedded in this way, gives us a fuller understanding of the client’s perspective and in some cases a better appreciation of the challenges being faced in Departments when it comes to project delivery."
Chief State Solicitor Maria Browne
