Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide detail in tabular form, the names of all external public relations and consultancy persons and organisations used by her Department for the years 2011 and 2010; the amount paid to each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37515/12]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail in tabular form, the amount paid on external public relations and communications consultants since February 2011; the reason for the payment; the name of each organisation used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37548/12]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail in tabular form, the amount paid to consultants since February 2011; the name of each organisation used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37564/12]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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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, details of the consultants employed and costs of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37628/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 672, 674, 675 and 678 together.

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 Department’s press office deals with all media queries and public relations matters. No money has been spent by my Department on public relations consultancy during the period in question.

I do not draw down any Ministerial Allowances.

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the below tables with expenditure incurred for the years 2010, 2011 and up to 31st August 2012. I am satisfied that the procurement of consultancy services, including commissioning of reports, is essential to support the Department in providing a high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework.

YEAR: 2010

* Social Inclusion Division was the responsibility of the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs prior to 1st May 2011.