Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 160: To ask the Taoiseach the amount of expenditure on consultancy by his Department in 2003, 2004 and 2005; the number of consultants engaged by his Department in those years; and the steps which have been taken to reduce the expenditure on consultancy and the reliance on consultants by his Department in these years and for the future. [41728/06]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The amount of expenditure on consultancy in my Department in 2003, 2004 and 2005 was:

These consultancies in the main related to the modernisation of the Civil Service, both as it relates to my Department and across the Civil Service generally. These included for example Employee and Customer Surveys, Regulatory Reform initiatives etc.

Consultants were also engaged to deal with aspects of Ireland's Presidency of the EU in 2004, as well as to provide expertise and advice on matters relating to the successful implementation of Social Partnership Agreements.

Every effort is made by my Department to minimise expenditure on Consultancy Services. However, where it is necessary to engage consultants in order to avail of their particular expertise or experience, the procurement of consultancy services is subject to tendering procedures as laid down in Public Procurement Guidelines and, where applicable, EU procurement rules and guidelines.

The procurement of consultancy services in my Department is subject to Public Procurement Guidelines from the Department of Finance as set out in "Guidelines for Engagement of Consultants in the Civil Service — 1999". Procurement of outside expertise in the public relations field is also subject to Public Procurement Guidelines as set out in the 2004 Department of Finance publication "Public Procurement Guidelines — Competitive Process", which replaced the previous Department of Finance guidance entitled "Public Procurement — 1994 Edition (Green Book)". In addition, the procurement of these services is also subject to applicable EU Procurement rules and guidelines. There are also additional guidelines agreed by Government specifically for PR and communication type consultancies which are now incorporated into the Cabinet Handbook.

The application of these guidelines requires that appropriate competitive procurement procedures are carried out in order to select the best service available, taking account of a number of important criteria including cost, the ability to undertake the work required and other relevant criteria, which may vary from project to project. This is an objective process, which results in selection of a provider, which should provide good value for money.

Every effort is also made to reduce the cost of consultancy by providing, where possible, any administrative or other support from existing resources within the Department. It is also our policy that skills-transfer from consultants to Departmental staff takes place as an integral part of all consultancy engagements. The purpose of this is to increase the knowledge and expertise of Departmental staff and to reduce and, if possible, eliminate future dependance on consultants in the areas concerned.

There are a number of safeguards in place which give assurance that value for money is obtained. These include:

Competitive selection processes in accordance with the Guidelines for engagement of consultants, which ensure that the most economically advantageous proposal is selected;

Monitoring of the work of consultants on a regular basis throughout the engagement and the use of appropriate project management techniques to ensure that the work is proceeding according to schedule;

Placing of Department staff to work on project teams alongside consultants to benefit from skills transfer;

Payment of fees according to the achievement of pre-agreed milestones; and

Approval of expenditure on consultancy projects at the appropriate level depending on the scale and nature of each engagement.

I am satisfied that these guidelines and procedures are followed in my Department and are fully reflected in the Department's internal procedures including the training provided to relevant staff.

The use of consultants by my Department has decreased substantially over the period 2003 to 2005 and there is in fact a relatively small provision in the Estimate for my Department of €143,000 in 2006 and €145,000 in 2007. I consider that this relatively small provision made for consultancy services in my Department's Vote is necessary and appropriate for the effective discharge of its functions.