Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

That is a good idea. I will suggest it to my Accounting Officer in order to keep down the cost.

The Forum on Europe is an independent group. The Estimate is based on the forum's budget and the resources it requires. It is not prepared on the basis of what the Department believes is required. We have an input into trying to ensure it is not excessive. In recent years, we tried to make available as much resources as possible to help the forum and to allow it to extend its remits in travelling throughout the country and engaging with second and third level colleges. Their estimate is not one we try unduly to control or curb. We try to assist the forum in every way we can.

I have given the detail on consultancies recently. As I said yesterday, most of the consultancies in the Department are in the social partnership process for various reports being drawn up under Sustaining Progress and in the policy unit of the Information Society Commission.

On the task force on active citizenship, little of that money has been spent. As the task force is just getting up and running, it will be next year before it will have any real expenditure. Most of its work will be done in 2006.

On the Estimate for my car, as the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has responsibility in this regard, the Deputy should put down a question to that Minister.

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