Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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233. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the annual saving to his Department if spending on education and training was reduced by 2.5%, 5% and 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26921/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Expenditure on education and training in my Department in 2014 was €631,686. Based on that figure, the percentage reductions specified by the Deputy would result in the following outcomes:

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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234. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the annual saving to his Department if spending on professional fees, including but not limited to legal, IT-related, accountancy, and other advisory and consultancy, was reduced by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26950/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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My Department engages professional service providers in a number of areas where the required skills are not available in-house and it is more cost- effective to source them externally. Details of payments in the twelve months to the end of 2014 are included below in respect of Vote 27 (International Cooperation) and Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade).

Vote 27 - €2.305 M

Vote 28 - €5.675 M

Total - €7.980 M

The application of a 10% reduction to this expenditure would result in a net saving of €0.798m.

Decisions on the need to commission and engage professional service providers are subject to the establishment of appropriate business cases and an approvals process carried out by Senior Management in the Department. These services are procured by open competitive tender in accordance with EU and national rules and comply with the overall value for money objective of the Department. The level of expenditure on professional service providers is constantly monitored.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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235. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the annual saving to the Exchequer if the Minister's special adviser's salary was capped at the first point of the principal officer grade, that is €75,647; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26964/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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There are currently 3 Special Advisors employed in my Department. None of them are paid a salary rate above the first point of the Principal Officer scale. Hence there would be no saving to the Exchequer if the Special Advisors’ salary was capped at the first point of the Principal Officer pay scale.