McGrath queries consultant costs

There is a need for greater accountability and transparency to ensure that the Government is getting value for money when it brings costly external consultants in to design policy, according to Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath.

It has emerged that despite the need to cut overall government spending the Department of Finance has spent €103m on external consultants since coming into power.

Mr McGrath said that for five years it has been known that the department needed to reduce its reliance on external consultants and develop the capabilities to meet the requirements to implement policy.