P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the percentage and the amount in real terms of the Irish Aid budget taken up with payments to consultants and advisers. [38482/08]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I am very conscious of the need to achieve value for money on consultancy expenditures. Irish Aid consultancy services are commissioned where specialised knowledge and/or skills are not available within the Department and where independent evaluation of programmes and projects is required. Given the overall scale, range and diversity of the Irish Aid programme, as well as our commitment to the highest quality, accountability and evaluation it is necessary, from time to time, to complement our in-house capacity with specialised skills and advice.

The details of consultancy expenditures for 2007 and to date in 2008 are as follows: In 2007 payments amounted to €4.22 million or 0.58% of the Irish Aid budget for the year. In 2008, the budget for payments to consultants is €4.12m. To date €3.9m has been expended, which represents 0.51% of the Irish Aid budget for the year.