Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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107. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she misled Dail Éireann in February when she stated that €20.6 million had been spent on external consultants and service providers since she took office but recently, in a parliamentary reply to this Deputy, she stated that she had spent €34.8 million on external consultants and service providers; on which occasion was she being factual; and if she will explain the €14.2 million difference; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14566/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I wish to confirm for the Deputy that there is no question of the Dáil being misled in responses to the previous Parliamentary Questions referred to. I always endeavour to be helpful in relation to the information provided in answers to Parliamentary Questions and to ensure that the response addresses the specific question raised.

I would point out to the Deputy that the information sought in the Parliamentary Questions referred to was not the same and, accordingly, there were significant differences in the details supplied in the answers and the total amounts of money referred to therein. The major difference is that Parliamentary Question No. 304 (PQ 6461/14) of 11 February 2014 asked me to provide details in relation to contracts awarded since May 2011. Parliamentary Question No. 115 (PQ 12586/14) of 13 March 2014 requested details of payments made since February 2011. The responses provided were responses appropriate to the details sought.

Some of the apparent difference also relates to the specific request in the first PQ for the full value of certain contracts, i.e. those put in place since May 2011, compared to the request for amounts paid in a given period , i.e. since February 2011, in the second PQ.

In addition, there are a number of recipients listed on PQ 12586/14 that are not included on PQ 6461/14 as the relevant contracts were awarded prior to May 2011 .

For example, the contract value for the General Register Office (GRO) maintenance & development project awarded in 2010, and the contract value for SDM (Service Delivery Modernisation) support & maintenance awarded in 2008 are not included in PQ 6461/14. However payments made since February 2011 in relation to these contracts totalling some €11m are included in PQ 12586/14.

Full details of the constituent elements of the two responses are included in the tables below.

I am satisfied that the engagement of consultants and external service providers contributes to decision making and policy formulation, and provides valuable support for the Department’s service delivery modernisation and reform programmes, and that procurement of consultants and external service providers is compliant with best practice in procurement, governance and realising value for money.