Vol. 473 No. 4
73 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment the total amount of money expended on consultancies in the past two years; the total number of reports from these consultancies; and the cost of such reports. [1497/97]
Payments totalling £2,974,431 were made by my Department in respect of consultancies during 1995 and 1996. Nearly half of this amount was paid in respect of two major projects — the development of the new national vehicle and driver file, and the Dublin region water supply strategic study. In all, the consultancies involve the production of 77 reports. The final cost to my Department is expected to be marginally in excess of £3 million.
