Government spend on consultants could top €100m

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

Fri, 27 Jan, 2006 - 00:00

Harry McGee, Political Editor

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.

When the spend of those departments is taken into account, the total outlay for outside consultants in 2006 could exceed €100m.

The details were supplied in response to parliamentary questions by Fine Gael TD Denis Naughten to all Government departments.

Mr Naughten, party spokesman on agriculture, asked all departments how much they had spent on outside consultants since 1997. Some provided partial responses, detailing expenditure since 1992.

The Department of Finance disclosed it spent over €30m since 1997. The biggest individual contract was that paid through the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland for advertising and media campaigns.

The spending in Arts, Sports and Tourism was more modest - just short of €2.9m since 2002. Its projected spending for 2006 is €500,000.

Justice’s costs have been a little over €5m since 2002.

Environment is also a big spender. Its bill since 1997 has been almost €37m - the contracts have produced 66 reports, 61 of which have been implemented or utilised. The department estimates an outlay of €4m in 2006.

Likewise, Social and Family Affairs also supplied figures back to 1997. In total, it has spent €22m.

The Department of Transport has allocated some €2.2m for consultancy expenditure in 2006.

Foreign Affairs has earmarked over €3m for this year, while Defence plans to spend a modest €30,000.

Mr Naughten criticised the continuing level of spending.

“It’s been a pattern of this particular Government to defer decisions to consultants instead of making the hard decision itself,” he said.

Consultancy costs (projected spend in 2006):

Arts - €469,000

Finance: €7.3m

Environment: €4.15m

Rural, Gaeltacht: €500,000

Social and Family: €9.2m

Taoiseach: € 243,000