Coalition pays out €10m on policy reports

Government departments have paid close to €10m to outside consultants to carry out more than 200 reports on policy issues since the Coalition came into office in Mar 2011.

The sum only relates to reports commissioned by ministers and does not include sums paid for IT, legal, and other outside advice.

The figures emerged as TDs and senators prepare to question Irish Water bosses about spending €50m on outside consultants when they appear at the Oireachtas Environment Committee today.