Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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207. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details of all consultancy firms engaged by his Department during 2013; if she will further provide details of all the relevant fees paid to these firms during this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3205/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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It is the policy of my Department to minimise consultancy fees to the greatest extent possible, and to hire consultants only as the need arises and where the required professional expertise is not available in-house. All contracts entered into by my Department must conform with the relevant laws and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on Public Procurement.

The data provided in the table below relates to consultancy firms engaged by my Department in the year 2013. The costs of services provided represent the overall costs to the Department. Final payments to the service providers are reduced to take account of Professional Services Withholding Tax.