Written answers
Thursday, 6 April 2017
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
Consultancy Contracts Data
Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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303. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the name, costs, date of commission, date or expected date of publication and name of the external consultant of all external reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011 per annum, in tabular form. [17429/17]
Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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My Department administers a very diverse, complex and technical brief across critical and strategic sectors of the Irish economy. While it has a total complement of around 345 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 professional expertise to assist in discharging its functions. In procuring these specialised services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and that these 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.
Details of external consultant reports commissioned by my Department since March 2011 are set out in the following table.
| Consultancy Name | Title | Cost to date | Date of Commission | Date or expected date of publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environ UK Limited | Corrib gasfield project – monitoring compliance with the Conditions of the Department’s Letter of Consent dated 25 February 2011 | €924,111* | June 2011 | Report published on the Department’s website Dec 2015. |
| Dr Michael Johnson | Silvermines Vegetation Study | €5,848 | August 2011 | This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase. |
| Camp Dresser McKee CDM | Sampling of Gortmore and Silvermines Vegetation | €13,890 | July 2011 | This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase. |
| Purvin & Gertz | Strategic Case for Oil Refining requirements | €193,997 | August 2011 | July 2013 |
| PA Consulting Group | National Digital Research Centre | €29,040 | July 2011 | Published on the Department website. |
| OHH Energy Ltd | Independent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line | €41,120 | July 2011 | 17/1/2012 |
| Elimark | Independent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line | €38,786 | July 2011 | 17/1/2012 |
| 2B Energy | Independent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line | €32,284 | July 2011 | 17/1/2012 |
| SLR Consulting | Core Library Holdings Review | €39,688 | Sept 2011 – Dec 2011 | Jan 2012 |
| Jenny Deakin | Preparation for the Graigue Group Water Scheme Report | €1,750 | April 2011 – Sept 2011 | Sept 2011 |
| Indecon Economic Consultants | Economic/Socio-Economic Analysis of options for rollout of next generation broadband | €28,167 | May 2012 | This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive and may impact on Government procurement in Broadband provision. |
| Analysys Mason | Analysis of options for potential State intervention in the rollout of next generation broadband | €30,522 | May 2012 | This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive and may impact on Government procurement in Broadband provision. |
| Thornton’s Chartered Surveyors | Provision of land valuation and negotiation services | €3,690 | July 2012 | This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase. |
| Indecon International Economic Consultants | Assessment of Economic Contribution of Mineral Exploration and Mining in Ireland | €53,690 | October 2012 | Published 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 | €72,474 | November 2012 | Published July 2013. |
| CDM Smith Ireland Limited | Environmental Monitoring at former mining areas of Silvermines, Co. Tipperary and Avoca, Co. Wicklow | €599,535 | December 2012 | On completion of scheduled reports. |
| AMEC Earth & Environmental (UK) Ltd | Expert Services to Monitor Mining Activities and Compliance with terms of State Mining Leases/Licences. | €122,353 | December 2012 | This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive. |
| Wardell Armstrong LLP | Provision of Expert Services for Mine Inspection, Environmental Advice and Compliance with terms of State Mining Leases/Licences. | €43,626 | May 2016 | This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive. |
| Pricewaterhouse Coopers Ltd | Scheduled review of INFOMAR Project | €59,505 | Dec 2012 – May 2013 | Published 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) | €11,211 | February 2013 | Reports published on the Department’s website. |
| Det Norske Veritas | Expert technical advice to the Department in connection with offshore drilling | €52,088 | March 2013 | Not published. Commercially sensitive. |
| Neary Marketing & Communications | Review of Irish Geoscience Sector | €10,000 | March 2013 – June 2013 | This 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 2013 | Reports published on the Department’s website. |
| Norcontel (Ireland) Ltd | Market analysis of backhaul infrastructure in Mayo and Galway | €10,500 | May 2013 | Published June 2013. |
| Selgovia Limited | Offshore exploration well technical assessment | €4,429 | July 2013 | Not published. Commercially sensitive. |
| Doyle Kent Planning Partnership Ltd. | To provide draft Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report for the Renewable Energy Policy and Development Framework | €95,940 | September 2013 | This report has not been published but is expected to be published shortly. |
| Environ UK Ltd | Establishment of an Administrative Framework for the Conduct of an Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment | €23,247 | November 2013 | Not published. Commercially sensitive. |
| Environ UK Ltd | Establishment of an Administrative Framework for the Acquisition of Baseline Information on Marine Species | €21,973 | November 2013 | Not published. Commercially sensitive. |
| AECOM Ltd. | Economics and Financial Consultancy | €52,988 | November 2013 | This Report will not be published as it remains confidential. |
| Indecon (Ireland) | Economic Analysis of the Advertising Market in Ireland | €71,438 | December 2013 | Report published on the Department’s website. |
| 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). | €66,124 (€3,653 fee payable for each report received) | February 2014 | Reports published on the Department’s website. |
| Wood Mackenzie | Review of Ireland’s Oil and Gas Fiscal System | €212,873 | 12 March 2014 | Published June 2014 |
| Neary Marketing & Communications | Review of Geoscience Ireland Business Cluster | €5,000 | March 2014 – July 2014 | This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive. |
| PA Consulting | Post Project Evaluation of the Tellus Border project | €24,750 | March 2014-July 2014 | Published July 2014 |
| Perspective Associates Ltd | The 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’. | €5,000 | 18 July 2014 | Report published on the Department’s website |
| Environ UK Ltd | Assistance with the Production of the Irish Offshore Strategic Environmental Assessment (IOSEA) 5 | €218,399 | October 2014 | Report published on the Department’s website Sep 2015 |
| KN Network Services | To provide a due diligence assessment on the current status of the Galway-Mayo telecoms duct. | €62,500 | 2014 | The report will not be published, it will be used to assist with the appointment of a Management Services Entity for the duct. |
| Gemserv | To provide a privacy impact assessment for the National Postcode System. | €59,340 | August 2014 | The report is published and available on the Departments website. |
| Ricardo - AEA | REFIT 3 Review | €4,500 | 2014 | This document remains part of the deliberative process and contains commercially sensitive information. |
| Doyle Kent Planning Partnership Ltd. | Assistance with the screening of the National Broadband Intervention Strategy for Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment. | €4,500 | 25 August 2014 | This report will be published on completion of the consideration of the SEA/AA assessments. |
| RPS Group Limited | To undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment / Appropriate Assessment on the Draft Bioenergy Plan | €54,930 | September 2015 | March 2016 |
| Indecon International Economic Consultants | Review of Designated Events of Major Importance to Society under the Broadcasting Act 2009. | €82,719 | 23 October 2015 | The report will not be published, it is used to assist in the review of designated events. |
| Tekenable | Provision of TV Licence Database and System Review. | €36,017 | 29 October 2015 | This report is commercially sensitive and confidential, and will not be published. |
| Compass Informatics, | Scoping Study for a National Geological Data Centre | €29,625 | October 2015 | December 2015 |
| Ramboll Environ UK | Corrib Pipeline Consent environmental consultancy services for gap analysis for Corrib pipeline consent to operate | €85,634 | August 2015 | Report published on the Department’s website December 2015. |
| BEC consultants | Assistance with statutory assessment of Environmental Statements and Natura Impact Statements accompanying applications for geophysical surveys including 2/3D offshore seismic survey and exploration drilling applications. | €21,918 (€3,653 fee payable for each report received). | April 2016 | Reports published on the Department’s website. |
| Norcontel | Financial advice relating to the concessionaire model for the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANS) | €22,950 | 30 March 2016 | This report is commercially sensitive and confidential, and will not be published. |
| Indecon | Assessment of the Macro-Economic Impact of Internet/Digital on the Irish Economy | €74,070 | 30 November 2015 | Published on the Department’s website on 31 May 2016. |
| Eamon Halpin & Co. Ltd | Valuation Report and advice on Waterford & Dungarvan MAN Networks | €5,000 | 25 November 2015 | This report forms part of an ongoing legal process and will not be published. |
| Element Energy | Provision of consultancy services to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) for an economic analysis of the Renewable Heat Incentive for Ireland | €105,500 | 17 May 2016 | This report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive. |
| SLR Environmental Consulting Ireland | Expert Consultancy Services to provide environmental guidance documentation in respect of mineral exploration activities | €23,616 | 10 October 2016 | Ongoing |
| Crowleys DFK | Review of the Tax Implications of the Formation of the Digital Hub company | €12,000 | 31 July 2015 | This report is commercially sensitive and will not be published. |
| Indecon | Review the Impact of Opt-Out Advertising on the Irish Broadcasting Sector | €45,446 | 11October 2016 | May 2017 |
| Cambridge Economic Policy Associates (CEPA) | Provision of an Economic Analysis to Underpin a New Renewable Electricity Support Scheme in Ireland | €125,700 | 13 December 2016 | Report not yet complete. |
| Risk Solutions | Review of INFOMAR Programme | €24,989 | 26 November 2015 | Completed March 2016On INFOMAR website |
| SLR Consulting | Report on Social Acceptance of Geoscience Activities and Earth Resources in Ireland | €21,445 | Contracts signed late Nov 2015 | Published online May 2016 () |
| Analysys Mason | Review of pricing and access arrangements relating to the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) | Total cost €90,000 - No payments to date. | 24 March 2017 | This report will contain commercially sensitive information, and will not be published. |
| Indecon | Review of policy underpinning the NDRC endeavour | Total cost €51,948 of which €10,389 paid to date. | 9 March 2017 | Ongoing |
| RPS Group Limited | To undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment of the National Broadband Intervention Strategy | €22,205 | April 2016 | This report will be published on completion of the consideration of the SEA/AA assessments. |
| KHSK Economic Consultants | Review of the Obstacles that hindered the planned introduction of pay by weight charging in July 2016 | €10,920 | 29 November 2016 | This report has not been published to date. |
| UCC / EPA / Envecon Decision Support Ltd ** | Irish Times (Phase 3) economic modelling project related to work of the TRAM Group. EPA / UCC led project. GAINS Ireland Integrated Modelling Project. Envecon Decision Support Ltd / EPA led project. | Total funding for both projects requested by EPA and provided by DCCAE in November 2016 was €320,326. Irish Times project funding requested was €152,794. Funding for GAINS project was €167,531. | January 2016 | Contract ended 31 December 2016. New contracts may be entered into as part of TRAM Group work. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envecon Decision Support Ltd ** | Engagement of consultants to support work of the Technical Research and Modelling (TRAM) Group. | €352,200 due under contract for whole of 2017. Total paid to end March is €129,270. | 30 January 2017 | Contract will end 31 December 2017. NMP will be published as soon as possible following approval by Government of Final National Mitigation Plan in June 2017. |
*These costs are recouped from the Operator of the Corrib gasfield project
**Technical support for the development and management of key operational elements in the national climate and energy policy process is provided by the Technical Research and Modelling Group (TRAM). TRAM has assisted the Government in developing the NMP. TRAM research is paid for from the Subhead F7 of the DCCAE Vote and in 2017 €1.75m was allocated for this work.
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