David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 440: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to subhead A7 of his Department's Estimates for 2005, the names of the consultancy companies his Department contracted in 2004 and 2005; the services these companies were contracted to provide; the breakdown of expenditure by his Department to these companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22063/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department engages external consultants from time to time to provide a range of specialist expertise. Broadly, expertise is sought under three main headings. Support with a number of strategic programmes aimed at enhancing the delivery of the Department's services, such as the service delivery modernisation programme, technical consultancies relating to the ongoing development of information technology systems and consultancy assistance in other areas including policy development. The amount paid out by my Department on consultancy services was €3,009,247 in 2004 and €1,194,447 to date in 2005. Details of the names of the companies involved, the work they were contracted to undertake and the amount paid out in the years in question are set out below.

BearingPoint Ireland Limited, €1,799,082, for consultancy services for the refinement, extension and implementation of the business objectmodel to support the Department's service delivery modernisation, SDM, programme. Hewlett Packard Ireland Limited, €396,971, for consultancy services to support the migration of the software used for child benefit from visual basic v6 to visual basic .NET in preparation for SDM phase 2. Accourt Limited, €148,686, for management and architectural — business, systems and technology — support to the secure authentication framework environment, SAFE, programme for customer authentication. Fujitsu Consulting Limited, €72,771, for consultancy assistance to support SDM phase 1 live application for child benefit. Nexus Europe Ireland Limited, €69,031, for consultancy support to Family Support Agency in order to develop and support the implementation of a self evaluation model to track the work done by the family resource centres. Gartner Ireland Limited, €56,000, for annual subscription and support for senior management in managing information systems. Propylon Limited, €42,380, for consultancy support services for the ongoing development and extension of the internal broker, principally the development and delivery of the death event validation service. IBM Ireland Limited, €36,300, for assistance with the organisational change project for pension servicesoffice.

Lansdowne Market Research Limited, €34,364, for a survey of atypical employees and employers of atypical workers to identify the role which the unemployment payment schemes play in supporting employees and assisting employers in maintaining and developing employment. John Naughten Services Limited, €31,545, for Family Support Agency. Similarity Systems Limited, €30,855, for consultancy used for conducting a data quality audit on aspects of the central records database. Cara Data Processing Limited, €20,691, for technical support with the Department's network infrastructure. Qualbase Limited, €17,854, for consultancy in support of Oracle upgrade projects. First Impression Design, €16,335, for production of annual report for office of social inclusion. Peoplesoft UK Limited, €13,703, for services provided in connection with the upgrade of the Department's human resources management system, HRMS, from Peoplesoft Version 7.5 to Version 8.1.

Goodbody Economic Consultants, €13,310, for an update of the cost of social housing report from 1995. James Doran and Associates Limited, €10,890, for consultancy on review and preparation of report on dental review. Finglas Cabra Partnership Limited, €10,000 for the Cabra lone parent research project funding towards the cost of undertaking research on lone parents in the Dublin 7 area. Oracle EMEA Limited, €9,433, for an upgrade scoping study carried out January 2004. The Katherine Howard Foundation, €8,631, for the families research programme. Mr. Robert Dowdall, research, €8,140, for consultancy relating to the collection and administration of PRSI. Technical Guidance Limited, €7,926, for consultancy assistance on a report on unisex insurance and annuity rates, a report on default investment strategies under PRSAs and a report on revised proposal unisex insurance rates. Waterford Institute of Technology, €6,679, for research commissioned under the families research programme report on strengthening families through fathers.

Touchpaper Ireland Limited, €6,353, for assistance with set-up of automated help desk for facilities management unit. Edward Delany and Associates, €6,156, for the facilitated workshop on decentralisation for senior management. Midland Web Consultancy, €5,600, for website design provided to Family Support Agency. Open Interface Limited, €5,055, for assistance with the office of social inclusion website. The Policy Institute-TCD, €5,397, for the synthesis report on submissions made by voluntary, community and other organisations in relation to the development of an integrated strategy to support families. Bill O'Herlihy Communications Group, €5,047, for public relations services during and after the "Supporting Families in a Changing Society" conference. Prospectus Limited, €4,871, for a review of the Family Support Agency's administrative functions. ESRI, €3,594, for the compilation of background paper for family strategy. Richard Pawson and Associates, €3,542, for a training seminar. Rowena Fitzsimons Solicitor, €3,283, for legal advice to the family mediation service.

Matheson Ormsby Prentice, €1,452, for an examination of occupational pension schemes and powers to borrow. Eircom, €1,392, for removing old software and installing new software as part of the natural virus project. Frank O'Brien Limited, €1,210, for an examination of default investment strategies and pensions. LAN Communications, €2,542, for technical support for local area networks. Blue Wave Technology, €2,541, for consultancy on a Lotus Notes application. Mel Cousins, €2,178, for a review of methodology for unemployment scheme review. Irish Nutrition and Diabetic Institute, €2,500, for a scheme review for supplementary welfare allowance dietary payments. Denis Agnew, €1,127, in legal fees in respect of UCD partnership in training. DSP Global, €1,127, for support of Oracle upgrade project.

Peoplesoft UK Limited, €2,982, for support with the implementation of Peoplesoft v8.1 application for human resources management system, HRMS. Accourt Limited, €147,318, for management and architectural — business, systems and technology — support to the secure authentication framework environment, SAFE, programme for customer authentication and payment strategy. BearingPoint Ireland Limited, €682,245, for the continuation of the work started in 2004 to upgrade the Department's business object model to enhance service delivery of old age contributory pension, retirement pension and household benefits. A & L Goodbody Solicitors, €1,614, for legal consultancy for Family Support Agency. Bayberry Consulting Limited, €8,766, for a review of the payment and agency reconciliation project, PARP, phase 1 scoping-analysis final report. Bill O'Herlihy Communications, €1,468, for the Family Support Agency.

Blue Wave Technology, €28,335, for support with the upgrade of family mediation services Lotus Notes application. Community Action Network, €1,200, for assistance to the Family Support Agency in recruitment and workshop preparation at FSA conference on 14 October 2004. Dorothy Butler Scally, €2,178, for consultancy relating to appointment at senior management level in the Department. Edward Delany, €4,477, for consultancy in respect of the functions and operations of the management advisory committee. Excludes payments of less than €1,000. ESRI, €8,430, for research on strategy for support of the family. IBM Ireland Limited, €96,490, for opportunity assessment stage of service delivery model phase 2. IFS Strategy Consulting, €1,452, for consultancy on transposition of IORPS directive. Indecon, €39,812, for consultancy for development of national employment plan. Mazars, €22,279, for assistance to the Family Support Agency in the setting up of accounting software. Microsoft MIOL, €5,263,for a review of technical architecture for SDM Phase 2.

Midland Web Consultancy, €1,400, for website design provided to Family Support Agency. Open Interface Limited, €1,452, for website maintenance for office of social inclusion. Propylon, €2,723, for consultancy support services for the ongoing development and extension of the DISC internal broker system during 2004. Prospectus, €12,502, for a review of the Family Support Agency's administrative functions. Qualbase Limited, €58,201, for database consultancy in support of Oracle upgrade projects. Rowena Fitzsimons Solicitor, €5,057, for legal advice to the family mediation service. Steptoe and Johnson LLP, €5,445, for legal advice relating to an EU directive regarding occupational pensions. Technical Guidance, €6,595, for consultancy assistance with reports on pension scheme borrowing options, pension schemes borrowing and investment assets and on pension schemes borrowing and investment restrictions.