Vol. 466 No. 1
11 Miss Harney asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the appointment of a consultant to oversee the communications strategy, an element contained in the Strategic Management Initiative document entitled Delivering Better Government; and the budget being allocated in respect of this appointment. [10848/96]
12 Miss Harney asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the appointment of a consultancy firm to assist in the widening and deepening of the Strategic Management Initiative process, as outlined in Part 3 of the document entitled Delivering Better Government. [10849/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together.
Drury Communications Ltd. were appointed in February of this year to assist in developing and implementing the overall communications strategy for the strategic management initiative (SMI) both internally and externally. Their appointment was the result of a competitive tendering process, in accordance with Government tendering procedures, which began in November 1995.
In all, submissions from eight Public Relations companies were evaluated. After consideration, the Co-ordinating Group of Secretaries under the SMI concluded that Drury Communications Ltd. offered the best range of skills for this project at the most appropriate price.
The cost of the consultancy over a 12-month period from February 1996 to the end-January 1997 is £83,600 plus VAT. This was approved by the Government contracts committee in February.
One of the central objectives of Delivering Better Government is the provision of an excellent service to the public. To achieve this, changes will need to be made to the overall approach of the Civil Service to the management of performance and to processes and procedures. Expertise in this complex area is required.
Tenders will be sought in the near future from appropriate consultancy firms to assist with this essential element of the strategic management initiative and to develop best practice. Government contract procedures will be fully complied with.
I accept the Minister of State is trying to provide better Government but this administration is certainly providing bigger Government. We read recently that the Government is spending £15 million a year on consultancies in addition to the expenditure of £10 million on programme managers, a total of £25 million a year.
Does the Minister of State agree that this is grossly excessive and is an unnecessary burden on taxpayers at a time when the Government has an unprecedented number of advisers, programme managers and Ministers of State? If we are to have more efficient Government and deliver better Government we need fewer consultants, programme managers and advisers.
And somebody who can photocopy.
Perhaps. I do not agree with the subliminal message in the Deputy's question. Money must be spent extremely carefully and we have a responsibility to the taxpayers to ensure that we get best value for money. To ensure best value for money for the paymasters of the public sector in future decades, we have a duty — and there is broad party agreement on the thrust of this — to ensure that we have best possible service in the Civil Service. Given the state of the economy and the need for the public sector to serve competitive Ireland into the next millennium, I do not apologise at all for the Government employing consultants where the expertise is not available to aid in change in the public sector.
Will the Minister indicate briefly the consultancy services that will be provided for the £83,000?
The consultancy services provided by Drury Communications Ltd. almost culminated in the launch of the strategic management initiative, Delivering Better Government, on 2 May.
Is this the cost of the PR for the launch? Did the PR for the launch cost £83,000?
It was not just the PR for the launch. They have been and will be involved for some time. They are contracted for another 12 months to roll out Delivering Better Government and to ensure that we widen and deepen it.
The consultants are delivering a better Government.
They are not. They are aiding in the communications strategy. I do not think this topic deserves the treatment being meted to it. It is critical for all of us, no matter what side of the House we are on, that we get this issue right. There have been attempts for many years to do so and there have been some improvements but there has been nothing which could be considered true reform or renewal of the public sector.
A PR company is selling the Government's policy to its own——
It is most important that we increase awareness and understanding of what is necessary in this area. Neither I nor any other Minister, nor any Minister in the previous Government, need have any apology to make for employing expertise which is not available in Departments to do specific jobs. This is exactly what we are doing in this case. We are getting extremely good value for money. We did not employ the highest tender but the company which provided the services and the experience at the best possible price. We are extremely satisfied with the work done to date. I look forward to employing further consultants if this proves necessary to ensure that the taxpaying public gets value for money from public expenditure in the years to come. This may be the last chance to get this right and it is only by working together that we will do so.
What are the consultants doing for this £83 million?
I must bring the Taoiseach's questions to a close.
Have I time to deal with this matter?
No, I am sorry. I must have regard to the time factor.
I can send the Deputy copies of the contract so that he may know the exact terms of reference under which the consultants were employed.
I would like that.
This is a case of reds under the bed. The Deputy is engaging in a which hunt.
As we do not have time to deal with this important subject in depth, I will conclude by saying that no Government should apologise for trying to achieve better value for money from the public sector. If we do not have expertise in any area which will help us put best practices in place and achieve the best value for money, we will employ such expertise through the competitive tendering procedures laid out for Government contracts. This is our responsibility to the taxpaying public.
The Minister should employ financial consultants.
