Government spend on consultants could top €100m

GOVERNMENT departments will continue to spend substantial sums on outside consultants during 2006, latest figures disclose.

Information from nine of the 15 departments show they have earmarked a total of almost €27 million for consultancies in 2006.

Departments that did not supply figures include the bigger spenders - Health, Enterprise, Justice, Communications and Education. All said they did not have time to compile figures.