Written Answers. - Consultancy Contracts.
Bernard Allen
Question:
33
Mr. Allen
asked the
Taoiseach
each consultancy, work group, study, analysis and report commissioned by his Department since the Government was appointed; the date each was completed or will be completed; the cost of each in this regard; and if each report has or will be published.
[16617/99]
The consultancies, work groups, studies, analysis and reports commissioned by my Department since July 1997 are outlined in the following schedules for the information of the Deputy.
Schedule
Consultancies, studies, reports commissioned by the Taoiseach's Department: 1. Professor P. Beaumont was engaged on two occasions, during 1997 and 1999, to address a seminar for the High Level Group on Trade Union Recognition. The cost in 1997 was £942.25 and in 1999 was £860.64. 2. The Irish Productivity Centre was appointed in 1998 to provide facilitation at one meeting of the Partnership Committee. The cost was £3,000. 3. Fusio Limited were appointed in 1998 to design the Department's website. The cost was £6,897. 4. Hall Public Relations and Corporate Affairs were appointed in 1998 as PR consultants for the 1798 Commemoration. This contract was completed in 1998 and the cost was £18,000. 5. The ESRI and St. John's University, New York, were commissioned in 1998 by the Partnership 2000 Working Group on Basic Income to carry out a study on the effects of introducing a basic income system in Ireland. Phase One of the study has been completed and Phase Two is expected to be completed within three months. The total cost of the study will be £103,805 and it is intended that the study will be published. 6. In 1999 the Department of the Taoiseach and the Financial Services Industry Association, jointly commissioned a feasibility study into the establishment of a training facility for IFSC companies. The report was undertaken by Prospectus Consultants. It was completed in April 1999 and has been made publicly available. The Department has agreed to contribute £5,000 towards the cost of the report. 7. The Department has commissioned a feasibility study on "the stadium for a new century". The cost will be £380,033 and the study is expected to be completed in September 1999. 8. Mr. Noel Dorr has been engaged on an on-going basis, since 1995, as the Taoiseach's personal representative on the UN Carlsson Group, set up to consider the future of the United Nations. Mr. Dorr's fees and expenses are met by this Department, and the cost per annum depends on the number and location of meetings. The costs incurred since 1997 amount to £35,478, and Mr. Dorr's fees are, at present, £227 per day. Mr. Dorr makes a confidential report of each of the group's meetings. 9. A consultancy service in relation to performance management was provided to the Department by Mr. Matthewman of William M. Mercer, England in November 1998 and March 1999. The total cost of this service was £2,175 sterling.
Consultancies, studies, reports commissioned by bodies under the aegis of the Department (bodies funded from Taoiseach's Vote)
1.Information Society Commission: Edelman PR were appointed in April 1998 for one year to manage a communications and media strategy for the commission. This contract has been renewed since April 1999. The full cost of the consultancy to date is £78,102; Cyril Drury, from the Learning Organisation was appointed by the ISC in 1998 to assist the learning advisory group of the commission in the preparation of a report on the non-formal environment for learning about information and communications technology. The total cost of the contract is £27,165. The work has been completed and the report, based on this research, will be published on 7 July 1999; Lansdowne Market Research were appointed by the commission in 1998 to carry out awareness research on the Information Society Commission amongst the general public and the business communities. The cost of this research was £48,400 and the report outlining the results of the survey was published in November 1998; 2.Tribunal of Inquiry, Moriarty: IT consultancy: Moss Technology were engaged in 1998 to complete a programme of work on the IT system and ensure that it is Y2K compliant. The cost of the consultancy was £1,452; Baker Consultants were engaged in January 1999 to design, implement and host a web site for the tribunal. The cost was £6,650. 3. All Party Oireachtas Committee on the Consti tution: the committee carried out legal research in relation to the courts systems in other countries, this cost £1,310; Dr. R. Synnott and Landsdowne Market Research were contracted in 1998 to work on research on referendums – the field research was carried out by Landsdowne Market Research at a cost of £5,455 and the report was produced by Dr. Synnott, cost £1,000; G. Hogan, SC, provided the committee with legal advice on amendment proposals, cost £2,420. 4. National Economic and Social Forum: Advance Organisation and Management Development were engaged in 1998 by the forum to carry out work in relation to project teams – the cost in 1998 was £7,000. 5. National Economic and Social Council: Dr. Kieran McKeown commissioned to produce Strategy Report – Unemployment, Poverty and Social Exclusion – total cost is £11,313.50 – the report will be completed in October 1999 and will be published. 6. Referendum Commission: the Referendum Commission engaged Drury Communications as consultants on the Northern Ireland Referendum, in 1998. The cost of the project management fee was £111,622.
