Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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335. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the total amount spent since February 2011 on external reports commissioned by her Department including payments from ministerial allowances, broken down by report; if she will provide the details of any consultants employed; the names of each report and their status as published or ongoing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2367/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The procurement of services is essential to support the Department in providing high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework.

The Department engages consultants (individuals or organisations) to provide intellectual or knowledge based services (e.g. expert analysis and advice) including the delivery of reports, studies, assessments, recommendations and proposals that contribute to decision making or policy making.

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table. There has been no spending on external reports from my Ministerial allowances since February 2011. I am satisfied that the engagement of consultants provides valuable support to the Department and that the procurement of consultants is compliant with best practice in realising value for money.

**Final invoice €2,900 yet to be processed.