The table below outlines details of fees paid for professional services by my Department over the past 12 months. My Department administers a very diverse and complex brief. The Department has a small cohort of permanent staff, some 245 full time equivalents at present. Its remit includes oversight of very complex policy areas and direct procurement of major services where protection of the State’s interest must be paramount. This situation necessarily requires my Department to procure specialist external professional advice notably in legal, financial and technical areas to enable it to discharge its responsibility to deliver quality services and protect the interests of the State and the taxpayer. Projects for which my Department is responsible include the intensive and nationwide campaign on Digital Switchover, strategic review of oil refining capability, complex telecommunications contracts such as the MANs and the National Broadband Scheme, and oversight of compliance with the Corrib consent conditions (the cost of which is recouped from the developer).
In addition the very limited in–house technical resources in areas such as geoscience, energy and telecommunications makes it imperative to have recourse to a certain amount of external professional services in these areas. Many of these outsourced services relate to specialist, technical, defined term projects which are externally funded. The table below reflects the above context. In procuring these specialised services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and the keeping of expenditure to the minimum necessary. In this regard, the Deputy might note that expenditure from my Department’s consultancy services and value for money and policy reviews budget has reduced from €2.249m in 2008 to €1.372m in 2011.
Details on arrangements entered into by bodies under the aegis of the Department are a day to day matter for the bodies themselves. In relation to the competitive tendering for contracts my Department adheres to the relevant EU Regulations and Department of Finance Guidelines on the procurement of goods and services.
Service Provider
|
Description of service
|
Costs €
|
2B Energy
|
Consultancy –Meath Tyrone Power Lines
|
32,285
|
Aarum Exploration Ltd
|
Geological data compilation
|
89,040
|
Arthur Cox Solicitor
|
Legal Expenses
|
71,909
|
Atlas Services Group
|
Hydrographic Data Processing-INFOMAR GSI
|
20,105
|
Atlas Services Group
|
Hydrographic Data Processing –INFOMAR GSI
|
139,955
|
Beta Analytic Limited
|
INFOMAR GSI Operations
|
1,199
|
Brian Smith
|
Consultancy –Vessel Skipper- INFOMAR GSI
|
28,918
|
Centrestage
|
Printing and Binding
|
1,421
|
Clare Morgan
|
Geophysical Consultancy
|
72,765
|
Client Solutions Ltd
|
Software Maintenance
|
122,082
|
Cloda Ryan
|
Pensions Advisor
|
3,469
|
Compass Informatics Ltd
|
Provision of ICT Resources
|
109,199
|
Compass Informatics Ltd
|
Geographic Information Systems Services, EC Marine Projects, GSI,
|
59,313
|
Conleth Bradley
|
Moriarty Tribunal legal expenses
|
22,264
|
Construction Consultancy Services
|
Data Entry & Compilation Services, Geoscience Initiatives GSI
|
47,834
|
Core International
|
Software Licensing
|
42,931
|
David Fox Associates
|
Petroleum Engineering Support
|
192,148
|
Deloitte & Touche
|
Procurement Advice
|
57,974
|
Diarmuid Rossa Phelan BL
|
Moriarty Tribunal legal expenses
|
24,200
|
Dr Ir Veerle A.I. Huvenne
|
Research Project Evaluations, INFOMAR, GSI
|
1,274
|
Elimark AB
|
Consultancy –Meath Tyrone Power Lines
|
38,788
|
Environ UK Ltd
|
Corrib Gas Consultancy
|
200,896
|
Eoin McGrath
|
Marine Geoscience Services, INFOMAR GSI
|
59,307
|
Espion Intelligence
|
IT Outsourced Services
|
6,872
|
ESRI Ireland
|
Software Maintenance
|
245,492
|
Geo Marine Survey Systems BV
|
Offshore Data Acquisition, INFOMAR GSI Operations
|
49,325
|
Gill Scott
|
Marine Geoscience Services, INFOMAR GSI Operations
|
12,176
|
Grainne O’Shea
|
Geographic Information Systems Services INFOMAR GSI Consultancy
|
84,661
|
Indecon
|
Griffiths Research Review, GSI
|
16,940
|
Indecon
|
National Broadband Plan
|
28,167
|
Irish Observer Network
|
Survey Vessel Master Services, INFOMAR, GSI
|
7,109
|
Janine Guinan
|
Marine Geoscience Services, EC Marine Projects, GSI
|
77,299
|
Jenny Deakin
|
Hydrogeological Services, Groundwater Source Protection, National Federation of Group Water Schemes.
|
4,000
|
Jim Duffy
|
Exemplar Networks
|
5,004
|
John Deasy
|
Marine Geoscience & Hydrographic Services, Infomar Consultancy
|
19,188
|
John L O’Donnell
|
Moriarty Tribunal legal expenses
|
33,396
|
Katherine Knights
|
Geochemical Consultancy, TELLUS Border Project, GSI
|
86,054
|
Keane Offshore Integrity Ltd
|
Corrib Gas Consultancy
|
81,971
|
KPMG
|
Financial Advisor
|
48,429
|
Latinollo Limited
|
National Analogue Switch Off Campaign
|
1,193,278
|
Mason Communications Ltd
|
National Broadband Scheme
|
162,737
|
Magnum Opus Ltd
|
Broadband Management Services Entity Costs
|
13,432
|
Mairead Glennon
|
Geological Project Management Consultancy, TELLUS Border Project, GSI
|
63,783
|
Maria Judge
|
Marine Geoscience Services, EC Marine Projects, GSI
|
56,969
|
Mason Hayes and Curran
|
Assistance in implementation of National Postcode System
|
88,250
|
Medmark Ltd
|
HR Medical Examinations
|
350
|
Mentecplus Integrated Solutions Limited
|
Software Licensing and Enhancements
|
7,264
|
Morrow Communications
|
Outreach Consultancy, TELLUS Border Project, GSI
|
51,751
|
Mouchel Parkman Ireland Ltd
|
Landslide Susceptibility Mapping, Geoscience Initiatives, GSI
|
69,525
|
Neary Marketing
|
Branding & Marketing, Geoscience Ireland Project, GSI
|
8,000
|
Niall Finn
|
Marine Geological Services, EC Marine Projects, GSI
|
53,941
|
O’Connell Agri-Environmental Consultants
|
Geochemical Data Acquisition, TELLUS Border Project, GSI
|
297,338
|
OHH Energy
|
Consultancy –Meath Tyrone Power Lines
|
41,122
|
On Site Vaccination
|
Health Screening
|
1,404
|
PA Consulting Group
|
Assistance in implementation of National Postcode System
|
169,407
|
Peter Cooney
|
Geographic Information Systems Services, National Groundwater Vulnerability Mapping, GSI
|
63,031
|
Peter Conroy
|
Hydrogeological Services, Groundwater Source Protection Work, Local Authority Public Water Supplies, GSI
|
2,420
|
Phelim Lally
|
Geological Services, National Aggregate potential Map, Geoscience Initiatives, GSI
|
74,265
|
Philip O’Reilly
|
Assistance in implementation of National Postcode System
|
1,125
|
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
|
Financial Advisory Service
|
49,200
|
Purvin & Guertz
|
Consultancy Services: Oil refining study
|
145,660
|
Reidy Brophy Ltd
|
Emergency Exercise for Oil Supply Disruption
|
7,100
|
Robert Meehan
|
National Quaternary Map, Geoscience Initiative, GSI
|
17,230
|
Ronan O’Toole
|
Marine Geoscience & Hydrographic Services, INFOMAR, GSI
|
90,088
|
Shane Carey
|
Geographic Information Systems Services, TELLUS Border Project, GSI
|
79,409
|
SLR Consulting Ireland Ltd
|
Core Store Holdings Review, GSI
|
39,688
|
SLR Consulting Ireland Ltd
|
Geological Services, Shallow Geothermal Resources Project, GSI
|
60,500
|
Tierney and Associates
|
Internal Audit Consultancy
|
51,744
|
Tobin Consulting Engineers
|
National Groundwater Vulnerability Mapping, Geoscience Initiatives, GSI
|
331,229
|
Tom Browne
|
Survey Vessel Master Services, Infomar , GSI
|
19,111
|
VBF Technologies
|
Information Society and eInclusion
|
32,894
|
Dr Vincent Gallagher
|
Geochemistry Services, TELLUS Border Project, GSI
|
34,526
|
Versata FZ LLC
|
Software Licensing
|
102,795
|
Waterwise Environmental
|
Water Sample Analyses, TELLUS Border Project, GSI
|
89,109
|
Xodus Group Ltd
|
Strategic Environmental Assessment
|
36,667
|