Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 January 2014
335. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form, the total amount spent since February 2011 on external reports commissioned by her Department, including payments from ministerial allowances, broken down by report; if she will provide the details of consultants employed; the name of each report and its status as published or ongoing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2367/14]
View answerThe procurement of services is essential to support the Department in providing high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework.
The Department engages consultants (individuals or organisations) to provide intellectual or knowledge based services (e.g. expert analysis and advice) including the delivery of reports, studies, assessments, recommendations and proposals that contribute to decision making or policy making.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table. There has been no spending on external reports from my Ministerial allowances since February 2011. I am satisfied that the engagement of consultants provides valuable support to the Department and that the procurement of consultants is compliant with best practice in realising value for money.
|
Report |
Name of Consultants |
Commissioned |
Publication Date |
Amount spent since February 2011 to date (31/12/2013) |
|
Investigation of odour/smells, Belmullet Local Office |
Wright Environmental Services |
Apr-11 |
Internal Management Report |
€1,699 |
|
Report on electronic access to GRO Records for genealogy research |
John Grenham |
Apr-11 |
Internal Management Report |
€3,557 |
|
Investigation of odour/smells, DSP Cobh |
Employment Health Advisors Ltd |
May-11 |
Internal Management Report |
€2,023 |
|
Development & implementation of the National Employment & Entitlements Service |
Accenture |
June-11 |
Aug-11 |
€186,563 |
|
Report on Pension Charges in Ireland |
PWC |
Oct-11 |
Oct-12 |
€61,500 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum – Conference Report |
Aidan Lloyd |
Nov-11 |
Aug-12 |
€1,500 |
|
Social Welfare Appeals Office – Research on Insurability Issues & Access to Legal Resources |
Mel Cousins & Associates |
2011 |
2011 |
€7,744 |
|
Review of Irish Pensions Policy |
OECD |
Jan-12 |
Apr-13 |
€130,000 |
|
Analysis & Measurement of Poverty & Deprivation 2012 programme leading to the following publications: 1.Work & Poverty in Ireland: An Analysis of CSO Survey on Income & Living Conditions 2004-2010 (2012 annual report) 2. Technical Paper on Poverty Indicators – [Appendix C of Report of the Review of the National Poverty Target] 3. Implications of Income Pooling & Household Decision-Making for Poverty & Deprivation (2012 technical paper) |
ESRI |
Jan-12 |
Dec-12 & Nov-12 |
€81,494 |
|
FÁS IS Applications Systems Review |
Accenture |
Jan-12 |
Internal Management Report |
€44,772 |
|
Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund |
KPMG |
Feb-12 |
Jun-12 |
€153,750 |
|
Evaluation of JobBridge (National Internship Scheme) |
Indecon International Economic Consultants |
Apr-12 |
Apr-13 |
€59,555 |
|
Developing system architecture for the National Employment & Entitlements Service |
Compass Point |
June-12 |
Internal Management Report |
€4,600 |
|
Risk assessments regarding reception areas [Arklow, Tallaght, & Kings Inn, Dublin Local Offices] |
Nifast |
June-12 |
Internal Management Report |
€1,845 |
|
Air Quality Investigation, Áras Mhic Dhiarmada |
Wright Environmental Services |
Aug-12 |
Internal Management Report |
€3,383 |
|
Air Quality Investigation, Ballymun Local Office |
Wright Environmental Services |
Aug-12 |
Internal Management Report |
€3,644 |
|
Report on Pension Priority Order |
Mercer |
Sep-12 |
Feb-13 |
€18,450 |
|
Contracted Employment Service Model |
Centre for Economic & Social Inclusion |
Nov-12 |
Internal Management Report |
€140,989 |
|
Mobile Applications Opportunity Exploration |
Accenture |
Feb-13 |
Internal Management Report |
€33,388 |
|
Social Inclusion Forum – Conference Report |
Aidan Lloyd |
Mar-13 |
Sep-13 |
€1,500 |
|
Diet Supplement Diet Costing’s Update |
Irish Nutrition & Dietetic Institute |
Apr-13 |
Q1-2014 (expected) |
€4,000 |
|
Health & Safety Review of DSP premises, Upper Gardiner St, Dublin 1 |
CPL Training Ltd, trading as Nifast Health & Safety Training |
April-13 |
Internal Management Report |
€1,100 |
|
Analysis & Measurement of Poverty & Social Exclusion (AMPSE) 2013 programme leading to the following publications: 1. Social Transfers & Poverty in Boom & Recession (for 2013 annual report) 2. Indicators of Economic Strain in the Great Recession (for 2013 technical paper) |
ESRI |
June-13 |
1. Dec-13 2. Q1-2014 (expected) |
€67,979 |
|
Delivery of Administrative Profiling Models to Identify those at Risk of Labour Market Disadvantage |
ESRI |
July-13 |
Q1-2014 (expected) |
€16,873 |
|
A Review of In-work Supports for the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare |
Mel Cousins |
July 2013 |
Q4- 2014 |
€10,000 |
|
Advisory report on implementation of European Youth Guarantee in Irish circumstances |
Organisation for Economic co-operation & Development (OECD) |
Sept- 2013 |
Q1-2014 (expected) |
€0* |
|
Auto Enrolment & Applicability to Ireland (Pensions) |
TOR Financial Consulting Ltd. |
Mid 2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€9,903 |
|
Report on Organisation Development |
Axiom Consultants |
Sept- 2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€74,812 |
|
Survey Air quality in Nutgrove LO |
Wright Environmental Services |
Nov-13 |
Internal Management Report |
€0** |
|
Social Welfare Appeals Office – Research into Revising Decisions |
Mel Cousins & Associates |
Dec -2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€2,400 |
|
Evaluation Research (Back to Education Allowance) |
ESRI |
Nov 2013 |
Internal Management Report |
€9,809 |
*Final invoice €50,000 yet to be processed.
**Final invoice €2,900 yet to be processed.
