Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 467: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the total amount of expenditure on consultancy by his Department in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; the numbers of consultants engaged by his Department in those years; the names of the consultancy companies awarded contracts; 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. [25542/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The total amount of expenditure by my Department from its consultancy services and value for money and policy reviews budget in the years 2008 – 2011 is set out in the following table:

In procuring these specialized services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and the keeping of expenditure to the minimum necessary. In this regard, the Deputy might note that expenditure from my Department's consultancy services and value for money and policy reviews budget has reduced from €2.249m in 2008 to €1.364m in 2011.

Given the technical complexity of the sectors which my Department oversees and, in some instances regulates, there is a requirement to procure specialised services to address specific issues as they arise. The Department therefore also necessarily incurs some expenditure on outsourced services as part of programme expenditure, an element of which is consultancy in nature. The overall spend for this consultancy element is as follows:

The number of consultants engaged over the years specified is 85 and their names are set out in the attached list.

My Department will continue to keep spending on all consultancies to a minimum consistent with ensuring the necessary expertise is available to discharge the Department's wide and complex brief.