Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Minister said that there is insufficient in-house expertise in particular areas because of policy issues or priorities that arise and that there is a need to obtain external expertise. From these pie charts it seems that the proportion is very significant. Under the subhead with which we are dealing, the figure is 19%; under subhead B the figure is an incredible 59% for consultancy and other services; under subhead C the figure is 13%; under subhead D the figure is 25%; and under subhead E the figure is smaller at 4%. Those figures are very significant. Given the discussion that has positively taken place on the value-for-money issue in terms of consultants with respect to Irish Water, surely we have to ask the same questions here because we are talking about significant amounts of money. Under one of the subheads, the figure is €6 million.