Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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327. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the total amount spent on external IT consultants by her Department in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the estimated spending in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54446/13]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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329. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has re-negotiated external IT consultancy contracts and costs since March 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54478/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 329 together.

The Department is engaged in a continuous service delivery modernisation (SDM) programme involving business, organisational and technological change. The SDM programme is allowing the Department to deliver its transformation agenda by providing: a high quality, proactive, personalised service to customers; services in a more efficient, flexible and integrated way; support for new work management practices and procedures; support to maintain and extend the ICT platform; support in delivery of eGovernment objectives.

This programme is supported by the procurement of external development services (IT external service provision) as well as engagement of external IT consultants to provide strategic technical advice. A breakdown of the annual expenditure on consultancy & IT external service provision for previous years is available on the Department’s website .

External IT consultants are engaged for a fixed period following procurement exercises conducted in accordance with Department procedures that are compliant with EU and national legislation and guidelines set down by the Department of Public Procurement and Reform. IT consultancy contracts in place prior to March 2011 have since expired. The current contracts for IT consultancy were put in place earlier this year.

I am satisfied that the engagement of external IT consultants provides valuable support for the Department’s service delivery modernisation programme and that procurement of external IT consultants is compliant with best practice in realising value for money.

The table below sets out the expenditure details requested.

Department of Social Protection: Expenditure on IT Consultants 2010 to November 2013 & Estimates Allocation 2014