Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number and nature of the reports, consultancies or other advisory or PR commissions awarded by his Department in the past five years to those other than established civil servants; the total cost involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4559/04]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs commissions consultancies where specialised knowledge and-or skills are not available within the Department and, particularly in the case of the Development Cooperation Ireland, DCI, programme, where an independent evaluation of programmes and projects is required. DCI consultancies cover a wide range of sectors including HIV-AIDS, education, health and rural development.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two votes — Vote 28 — Foreign Affairs, and Vote 29 — International Cooperation, and the information requested by the Deputy in relation to each Vote follows.

The Deputy may wish to note that under Vote 28, the majority of expenditure on consultancies for 2002 and 2003 related to the upgrading of the Department's information technology infrastructure at headquarters and our missions abroad and the automated passport production system, APS. The latter is essential to meet future demands for passports in an efficient and effective manner and to comply with new international security regulations for passports. Once these projects are complete, it is expected that engagement of consultants will be significantly reduced.

An outsourcing specialist was recruited in 2002 to oversee the commissioning of consultancies under Vote 29. Since then, procedures and systems have been reviewed and strengthened to ensure that maximum value for money is achieved.

Ongoing work, including publications, stationery design, promotion of the EU Presidency, etc., in relation to the EU Presidency is being carried out by Red Dog Design. The final cost of this project will not be known until the Presidency is finished.