John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 186: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has carried out an assessment of the comparative benefits of local authorities using consultants rather than hiring staff qualified to carry out the same functions; if he will direct his Department's value for money unit to carry out a VFM study on the use of consultants by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31319/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The matter raised in the question has not been the subject of a study by my Department's Value for Money Unit; however, local authorities, when employing consultants for infrastructural works, must adhere to relevant guidelines set out in circular letters from my Department and guidelines by the Department of Finance for the public sector generally, which include appropriate emphasis on value for money considerations. While overall local government staff numbers are controlled in accordance with Government policy in relation to public sector numbers, staffing and organisational arrangements for purposes of carrying out local authority functions are a matter for each County/City Manager.

The issue of the use of consultants by local authorities will be considered in the context of the ongoing work of the Value for Money Unit.