Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am asking the Minister a direct question in respect of the €350,000 in additional moneys being provided for consultancy fees. The liquidation of the IBRC and legal challenges relating to the banking sector come under other headings with which we will deal presently. The briefing note provided indicates that the €350,000 relates to the development and implementation of the medium-term economic strategy. We know that the Department issued two tenders for consultancy in respect of developing the strategy. I am seeking to discover if it will be hiring a group of consultants to implement that strategy. The impression one is given is that this is the case and that the cost will be €350,000. The briefing note does not mention professional economists, rather it refers to the implementation of a Government policy. When we deal with public money, it is right and proper that we should ask why the Department is not able to implement its own policy and why it found it necessary to procure external assistance to develop that policy. The Minister offered a legitimate argument to the effect that the Department does not retain the services of the necessary specialist economic or advisory experts.

Implementation is one issue. I also asked the Minister three other questions. Will he indicate what is the international assignee programme, which costs the State €100,000? Will he also indicate why we are paying €120,000 in respect of positions for two individuals, one at the IMF and the other at the EBRD? Are those positions permanent and will this be a recurring cost? In the context of the transformational project, will the Minister comment on the additional expenditure of €150,000 the Department is seeking under consultancy and services in this regard? Will he also indicate who will be the beneficiary of that €150,000?