Written answers
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Department of Social Protection
Consultancy Contracts
9:00 pm
Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the total amount spent since February 2011 on external reports commissioned by her Department including payments from Ministerial allowances; the details of any consultants employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22816/12]
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department has a major programme of business, organisational and technological change underway to enable it to modernise the services which it provides to customers.
The Department engages consultants for work which comes within the definition of 'consultancy' set out in Department of Finance guidelines - where a person or organisation provides intellectual or knowledge based services (e.g. expert analysis and advice) through delivering reports, studies, assessments, recommendations, proposals, etc. that contribute to decision making or policy making.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached table for 2011. There has been no expenditure to date in 2012 in relation to such consultancy work.
I am satisfied that the procurement of consultancy services, including commissioning of reports, is essential to support the Department in providing high quality service to the public in a cost effective and that this is undertaken is an efficient manner governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework.
I do not draw down any Ministerial Allowances.
| YEAR: 2011 | ||
| Contractor | Purpose | € |
| ESRI | SWITCH Model – Support for analysis of Budget proposals | 150,000 |
| IRCHSS | Social Inclusion Research Innovation Awards | 50,000 |
| ESRI | Poverty Research | 48,001 |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers | Review of Pensions Charges | 36,300 |
| Trinity College | Poverty Research Initiative Awards | 9,788 |
| Mel Cousins & Associates | Social Welfare Appeals Office - Legal Research on Insurability Issues & Access to Legal Resources | 7,744 |
| Patrick Oliver Ryan | Gender Recognition Advisor Group Report | 7,000 |
| UCD | Poverty Research Initiative Awards | 6,650 |
| NUI Maynooth | Poverty Research Initiative Awards | 6,500 |
| NUI Galway | Poverty Research Initiative Awards | 5,000 |
| Crowleys DFK | Audit of Financial Statement for EU Year 2010 | 4,816 |
| John Grenham | Report on GRO (General Register Office) Records | 3,557 |
| Mel Cousins & Associates | Social Welfare Appeals Office -Preparation and Delivery of Paper on Habitual Residence Clause | 2,420 |
| Jane Pillinger | Consultation & Development of a Code of Practice Guide | 2,000 |
| Maureen Bassett | Evaluation & Reporting of EU Year 2010 | 1,032 |
| Kathy Walsh | Evaluation & Reporting of EU Year 2010 | 726 |
Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the total amount spent since February 2011 on external marketing consultants, including payments from Ministerial allowances, including payments by all Ministers in his Department; the details of the consultants employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22834/12]
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department spent a total of €23,407 including VAT on graphic design and marketing services since February 2011. All of these costs were incurred under one contract with a Dublin-based company, Creative Inc.
I do not draw down any Ministerial Allowances.
Questions Nos. 224 and 225 withdrawn.
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