Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 January 2015
108. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of all consultancy firms engaged by her Department during 2014; if she will also provide details of all the relevant fees paid to those firms during the period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1673/15]
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 majority of expenditure on consultancy expertise is to support the Department in implementing a multi-annual service delivery modernisation and transformation programme involving business process, organisational and technological change. These programmes are supported by the procurement of separate external development services (IT external service provision) as well as engagement of consultants to provide strategic technical advice. Further technical consultancies relate to the on-going development of the Department’s extensive information technology systems. A breakdown of the annual expenditure on consultancy and also IT external service provision for previous years is available on the Department’s website at http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Procurement-Policy.aspx.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. 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.
YEAR 2014
|
CONTRACTOR |
PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY |
€ |
|
ESRI |
SWITCH Research Programme |
250,000 |
|
Accenture |
Review and redesign of front-line learning and development programmes |
237,636 |
|
Haywood Associates |
Business Objects Model - Technical Development Advice |
224,340 |
|
Naked Objects Group Ltd |
Business Objects Modelling Advice & Expertise |
200,857 |
|
ESRI |
Analysis & Measurement of Deprivation & Poverty |
55,978 |
|
Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion |
Advice in relation to External Service Delivery - Employment Services |
50,978 |
|
OECD |
Youth Guarantee Advice |
50,000 |
|
Axiom Consulting |
Culture & Values Report on Organisation Development |
47,880 |
|
Irish Research Council |
Social Inclusion Research Innovation Awards |
40,101 |
|
Microsoft |
Premier Support for Developers |
36,720 |
|
Deloitte & Touché |
IS Internal Audit Services |
23,616 |
|
Microsoft |
Support to Technical Architecture Group |
19,590 |
|
Deloitte & Touché |
Provision of Security Partner Services |
18,098 |
|
ESRI |
Profiling of “Stock” Live Registrants |
16,873 |
|
Mel Cousins & Associates |
Evaluation of Fund for EU Aid for the Most Deprived (FEAD) |
16,000 |
|
Deloitte & Touché |
Confidential Forensic Investigation Services |
10,148 |
|
ESRI |
Evaluation Research (BTEA) |
9,809 |
|
Geary Institute |
Social Inclusion Research Innovation Awards |
7,960 |
|
Rits |
Confidential Forensic Investigation Services |
6,541 |
|
ESRI |
Action Learning, Behavioural; Economics & Payments Migration |
2,000 |
|
Mike Byrne |
Tender Evaluation - Employment Services |
2,000 |
