Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

A committee is not involved; the Minister for Finance is involved in the approval process. Arising out of an initiative that arose some years ago, the Quigley report indicated, where a Department proposed to engage consultants, that fact must be brought to the attention of the Taoiseach where there is an element of direct service to a Minister, especially in the PR-communications area, or if the Minister has suggested the name of a person or enterprise as being suitable. Where a Minister indicates he or she would like to have person X to carry out services directly for him or her, that issue would have to be brought to the attention of the Taoiseach, in addition to the approval requirement of the Minister for Finance.

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