Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Finance if, in view of recent investigations by the Standards in Public Office Commission, he will consider requiring that each Department keep an up-to-date register of all consultants engaged and the terms of reference of their work. [5720/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Under section 6, recording and reporting on consultancies in the Civil Service, of the Department of Finance guidelines for engagement of consultants in the Civil Service — March 1999 — Departments-offices which commission consultants are required to establish computer registers and to record in relation to each consultancy the firm awarded the contract, the cost and purpose of the project, the terms of reference of the consultants and the name of a contact official most familiar with the details of the assignment.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Finance if, in view of recent investigations by the Standards in Public Office Commission, he will consider putting strict criteria in place regarding foreign travel by consultants engaged by his Department. [5721/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The guidelines for engagement of consultants in the Civil Service, produced by my Department in March 1999, outlines in paragraph 3.05 a number of general criteria to be adhered to by Departments in relation to consultancy projects. One of the general criteria outlined is that Departments should ensure that additional costs and-or expenses are included as part of the fee. Where this is not feasible, particular care should be taken to ensure that such costs are adequately vouched and are reasonable. Where additional costs for travelling and subsistence cannot be avoided, they should where possible not exceed those appropriate rates applying in the Civil Service. Officials in my Department are, therefore, aware of the requirement that the costs of only necessary and reasonable travel relevant to a project by consultants should be met by the Department.

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Finance if there are criteria in place for the engagement of public relations consultants by Departments; and if so, if he will provide this Deputy with a copy of such guidelines. [5722/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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There are three sets of guidelines which set out the criteria in question: general guidelines on procurement, general guidelines on the engagement of consultants and new guidelines which will apply particularly in the public relations or communications area.

In March 1999, my Department issued the guidelines for engagement of consultants in the Civil Service. The latest public procurement guidelines, public procurement guidelines competitive process, were issued by my Department in July 2004. Both documents are available on the Department's website. I have arranged for hard copies to be sent to the Deputy.

Following consideration of the recommendations in the recent report prepared by Mr. Dermot Quigley, additional guidelines in relation to certain proposed consultancy contracts have now been agreed for incorporation in the Cabinet handbook. These guidelines will apply particularly in the PR or communications area where there is a significant element of direct service to a Minister or where a Minister has suggested the name of a person or enterprise for a consultancy or contract. The additional guidelines are in effect since 15 February. The full text of the guidelines is available on the website of the Department of the Taoiseach.