Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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121. To ask the Minister for Defence the total expenditure on consultancy by his Department; the number of consultants engaged by his Department, in the years 2011 to 2014; the names of the consultancy companies awarded contracts; and the steps which have been taken to reduce the expenditure on consultancy, and the reliance on consultants by his Department, in these years, and for the future. [18953/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the total amount of expenditure on consultancy by my Department since 2011 is set out in the table below. My Department is always mindful of the costs involved in engaging consultants. External consultants are engaged only when there is a clear need for specialised expertise and following a rigorous examination of skills and resources available in-house.