Written answers

Thursday, 18 December 2014

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Consultancy Contracts Data

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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574. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in tabular form per annum all external consultant reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011; the costs per report; the company involved; the title of the report; and the publication date. [49255/14]

Photo of Alex WhiteAlex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Details of the external reports commissioned by my Department are set out in tabular form below.My Department administers a very diverse, complex and extremely technical brief across criticical and strategic sectors of the Irish Economy. While it has a total complement of around 250 full time equivalent staff of whom a number are technical personnel, the technical, commercial, legal complexity and evolving nature of sectors with which the Department deals requires access to external professionla expertise to assist in discharging its functions. In procuring these specialised services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and that these professional services contribute to project delivery and informed, robust and evidence based policy making.

The bulk of the studies are technical and specialist in nature and were necessary to address specific issues as they arose and enable the Department to discharge its policy and project responsibilities in the areas concerned.

Consultancy NamePurpose of ConsultancyCost Date of commissionDate or expected date of publication
Environ UK LimitedCorrib gasfield project – monitoring compliance with the Conditions of the Department’s Letter of Consent dated 25 February 2011€705,297*

(to date)
June 2011On-going
Dr Michael JohnsonSilvermines Vegetation Study€5,848August 2011This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase
Camp Dresser McKee CDMSampling of Gortmore and Silvermines Vegetation€13,890July 2011This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase
Purvin & Gertz Strategic Case for Oil Refining requirements€193,997August 2011July 2013
PA Consulting GroupNational Digital Research Centre€29,040July 2011This report was not published. The report is commercially sensitive as it is a Strategic Review of the NDRC to inform decisions about the future of the NDRC after the Concession Agreement expires in 2013.
OHH Energy LtdIndependent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line €41,120July 201117/1/2012
ElimarkIndependent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line€38,786July 201117/1/2012
2B Energy Independent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line€32,284July 201117/1/2012
SLR Consulting Core Library Holdings Review €39,688Sept 2011 – Dec 2011Jan 2012
Jenny DeakinPreparation for the Graigue Group Water Scheme Report€1,750April 2011 – Sept 2011Sept 2011
Indecon Economic ConsultantsEconomic/Socio-Economic Analysis of options for rollout of next generation broadband €28,167May 2012This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive and may impact on Government procurement in Broadband provision.
Analysys MasonAnalysis of options for potential State intervention in the rollout of next generation broadband€30,522May 2012This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive and may impact on Government procurement in Broadband provision.
Thornton’s Chartered SurveyorsProvision of land valuation and negotiation services€3,690July 2012This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase.
Indecon International Economic ConsultantsAssessment of Economic Contribution of Mineral Exploration and Mining in Ireland€53,690October 2012Published September 2013.
Indecon (Ireland)Provision of a Macro-Economic Research Exercise under the National Digital Strategy to Determine the Value of Internet/Digital to the Irish Economy€72,474November 2012Published July 2013
CDM Smith Ireland LimitedEnvironmental Monitoring at former mining areas of Silvermines, Co. Tipperary and Avoca, Co. Wicklow€226,142December 2012On completion of scheduled reports
AMEC Earth & Environmental (UK) LtdExpert Services to Monitor Mining Activities and Compliance with terms of State Mining Leases/Licences.€63,116December 2012This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive
Pricewaterhouse Coopers Ltd Scheduled review of INFOMAR Project€59,505Dec 2012 – May 2013Published September 2013
BEC consultants Assistance with statutory assessment of Environmental Statements and Natura Impact Statements accompanying applications for (1) a 2D regional seismic survey and (2) an offshore exploration well (Dunquin) (2 reports received)€11,211February 2013Reports published on the Department’s website
Det Norske VeritasExpert technical advice to the Department in connection with offshore drilling€52,088March 2013Not published. Commercially sensitive
Neary Marketing & CommunicationsReview of Irish Geoscience Sector€10,000March 2013 – June 2013This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive.
BEC consultants Assistance with statutory assessment of Environmental Statements and Natura Impact Statements accompanying applications for geophysical surveys including 2D/3D offshore Seismic Surveys and exploration drilling applications (six reports completed in 2013)€18,266

(€3,044 fee payable for each report received)
April 2013Reports published on the Department’s website
Norcontel (Ireland) LtdMarket analysis of backhaul infrastructure in Mayo and Galway€10,500 May 2013Published June 2013
Selgovia LimitedOffshore exploration well technical assessment €4,429July 2013Not published. Commercially sensitive
Environ UK LtdEstablishment of an Administrative Framework for the Conduct of an Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment€23,247November 2013Not published. Commercially sensitive
Environ UK LtdEstablishment of an Administrative Framework for the Acquisition of Baseline Information on Marine Species€21,973November 2013Not published. Commercially sensitive
AECOM Ltd. Economics and Financial Consultancy€52, 988November 2013 This Report will not be published as it remains confidential.
Indecon (Ireland)Economic Analysis of the Advertising Market in Ireland€71,438December 2013Ongoing
BEC consultants Assistance with statutory assessment of Environmental Statements and Natura Impact Statements accompanying applications for geophysical surveys including 2D/3D offshore Seismic Surveys and exploration drilling applications (five reports completed to date in 2014).€33,247

(€3,653 fee payable for each report received)
February 2014Reports published on the Department’s website
Wood MackenzieReview of Ireland’s Oil and Gas Fiscal System€212,87312/3/2014Published

June 2014
Neary Marketing & Communications Review of Geoscience Ireland Business Cluster€5,000March 2014 – July 2014This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive.
PA ConsultingPost Project Evaluation of the Tellus Border project €24,750March 2014-July 2014Published July 2014
Perspective Associates LtdThe provision of independent expert advice relating to the identification of an appropriate framework for determining whether a compilation of programme material offered by a contractor under s. 71 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 has the ‘character of a public service’. €5,00018/07/2014This process is ongoing.
Environ UK LtdAssistance with the Production of the Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment (IOSEA) 5€217,164October 2014 Ongoing
KN Network ServicesTo provide a due diligence assessment on the current status of the Galway-Mayo telecoms duct.€62,5002014The report will not be published, it will be used to assist with the appointment of a Management Services Entity for the duct.
GemservTo provide an interim privacy impact assessment on the implementation of the National Postcode System€42,446August 2014Interim report and the process is ongoing
Ricardo - AEAREFIT 3 Review€4,500 (excl VAT)2014This document remains part of the deliberative process and contains commercially sensitive information.




* These costs are recouped from the Operator of the Corrib gasfield project.

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