Written answers
Tuesday, 14 October 2025
Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Departmental Reports
Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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930. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide a list of all studies, research and reports commissioned by his Department that were outsourced, in each of the past five years, in tabular form; the names of the companies to which each study, research and report was outsourced; the total cost for each; the number of reports finalised and presented to him that have yet to be released by his Department; the dates on which any such reports yet to be released were first provided to him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55168/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The information on all studies, research and reports commissioned by my Department that were outsourced over the past 5 years is set out below. The costs provided are inclusive of VAT. I can confirm that none of these reports are currently submitted to me, and I can also confirm that none have previously been submitted to me and are yet to be released.
2021
| Company | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Social Justice Ireland | Development of 2020 Annual Report of PPNs | €10,000 |
| Indecon | Report on the Landscape of Philanthropic Giving in Ireland. | €80,000 |
| Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland | Review of the Delivery, Funding and Strategic Development of the Walks Scheme | €81,850 |
| Venture International Limited | Review of the Rural Economic Development Zone (REDZ) Scheme | €41,350 |
| Economic and Social Research Institute | Review of International Approaches to Evaluating Rural and Community Development Investment and Supports: joint ESRI DRCD research programme 2019-2023 | €210,000 |
| The OECD | Review of Implementation of Social Enterprise Policy in Ireland. | €130,000 |
| Pobal | The Community and Voluntary Sector Skills Audit (2021-2023) | €109,216 |
| Pobal | National Volunteering Strategy: Research for Action 20 (2021-2023) | €70,000 |
2022
| Company | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Curran Futures | Investment Fund Consultant contributed to the Periodic Critical Review of the Western Development Commission | €22,140 |
| NorthPoint Aviation | Consultation service in publishing a EU compliant PSO air service Tender document for the Aran Islands air service | €5,000 |
| Onside | Support with the renewal of sponsorship for the SuperValu TidyTowns competition for the period 2023-2027 | €27,675 |
| BDO | Review of the selection / election process of the Board of Udaras Na Gaeltacht | €47,970 |
| Crowe Advisory Ireland | Design, planning and hosting of a national civic forum event including preparatory focus groups, a mid-project progress report with recommendations and a project outcomes report. | €19,931 |
| Grant Thornton | Support with the development of Our People Strategy 2022-2025, DRCD Values, and a Leadership Development Programme. | €103,960 |
| Amárach Research, Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland, Irish Local Development Network. | To administer Baseline Data Gathering Exercise of Social Enterprise in Ireland. To develop a methodology, carry out a survey and draft a report. | €100,318.80 |
| Venture International Limited | Independent Review of LEADER Delivery Models for the 2014-2020 LEADER Programme | €21,817 |
| William Parnell and Ciaran Lynch | Developing an Effective Rural Proofing Model For Ireland | €5,000 |
| Mazars | PPN structural review | €74,000 |
| Social Justice Ireland | Development of 2021 Annual Report of PPNs | €10,000 |
| Values Lab | Evaluation of Pilot Community Development Programme | €19,680 |
| Quality Matters | Ability Programme Evaluation 2018-2021 | €62,361 |
| University of Galway | Research into the National Plan for the Irish Language Services. Not published. | €313,392 |
| .IE & Dublin City University | Digital Town Blueprint Reports | €206,532 |
2023
Company | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Grant Thornton | Staff Training Programme | €65,472 |
| Crowe Ireland | Civic Forum; design, planning, hosting and reporting | €14,311 |
| Crowe Ireland | Facilitation of Round Table discussion with DRCD and Volunteer Centres | €5,842 |
| Amarach Resrach | Baseline Data Gathering on Social Enterprise in Ireland. Published May 2023 | €25,079 |
| KMPG | External review and broad national stakeholder consultation on SICAP 2018-2023 | €92,250 |
| National University of Ireland | First Government of Ireland-NUI Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Rural Development. ‘Mapping Social Enterprises and their Impact on Sustainable Rural Development in Ireland’ | €119,900 |
| TASC Ireland | Mapping of national commissioning practice in Ireland | €31,812 |
| Consortiaco | Research into Socially Responsible Public Procurement & Buy-Social. (Joint project between the DRCD, Justice and Pobal.) | €27,860 |
| Social Justice Ireland | Development of 2022 Annual Report of PPNs | €10,000 |
| Method Consultants | Upcycling of Bicycles and e-Bikes Pilot Initiative Evaluation Report | €7,995 |
| ESRI | Civic and Political Engagement Among Young People in Ireland: The research is co-funded by DCEDIY & DRCDG | €64,585 |
| S3 Solutions | Research on barriers to involvement in Public Participation Networks | €57,660 |
| Tobin Consulting Engineers | Aerfort Chonomara Car Park Upgrade: Engineering consulting report | €73,757 |
2024
Company | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Grant Thornton | Feasibility Study into expansion of Connected Hubs into Northern Ireland | €103,935 |
| AP EnvEcon Limited | Local Well-being Indicators Project | €49,200 |
| Inspiring change | Consultant support with a Review of DRCD's Values and Behaviours | €24,603 |
| Forvis Mazars | QA of Internal Audit Function as required under IIA standards | €18,450 |
| Quadra Consulting | Health and safety Risk Assessment | €7,985 |
| Research Ireland ‘New Foundations’ | Research on Social Enterprises and the Shared Services Model, 2024 – 2025 Research Exploring Cork's Agri-Food Social Enterpreneurial Ecosystem, 2024 – 2025 | €20,000 €20,000 |
| TASC – Think-Thank for Action on Social Change | Review of the Pilot Community Volunteers Programme | €24,695 |
| Barr Feabhais Ltd | Review the first 10 language plans approved under the Gaeltacht Act 2012 Review of the Advanced Skills Initiative | €92,500 €48,500 |
| Gael Linn | Feasibility Study of International Satellite College in the Mid West of the United States | €18,000 |
| University of Galway | Provision of research that formed the basis of the first National Plan for Irish Language Public Services - prepared pursuant to the Official Languages Acts 2003 and 2021 and published in October 2024. | €215,722 |
| IPSOS B&A | Commissioning of a survey to identify a baseline for the running of a national awareness campaign for the Irish language. | €11,070 |
| Crowe Ireland | PPN Implementation Roadmap consultation on priorities | €11,985 |
| Eithne Tiernan (via Pobal) | New Arrivals: Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP) Implementers’ Perspectives. Published. | €16,000 |
| Interactions Ltd and The Outcome (via Pobal) | New Arrivals: SICAP Beneficiaries’ Experiences. Published. | €21,400 |
| Social Change Consultancy | Mapping of Irish and International Models of Public-Private Engagement | €17,400 |
| DHR Communications | Delivery of the Philanthropy Policy Communications strategy | €19,803 |
| Martin Keating | Outline for a Sustainable Upland Recreation Scheme and the design of a pilot Upland Recreation Scheme for the MacGillycuddy Reeks | €15,424 |
2025
Company | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Social Justice Ireland | PPN Annual Report 2024 compilation | €10,800 |
| Governance Ireland | Review of the PPN National Advisory Group Terms of Reference (in progress) | €18,081 |
| Risk & resilience Ltd | External Review of Risk management in Department (in progress) | €10,320 |
| NUI Maynooth | Review of CLÁR eligibility (in progress) | €16,083 |
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