Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2015
1716. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the annual cost to her Department of fees paid to private for-profit companies to provide services, such as consultancy work, recruitment services and other outsourced services, for example cleaning, catering and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32710/15]
View answerExpenditure from my Department's Administrative Budget in 2014 on externally-provided services such as IT services, staff training and development, office cleaning and security, in respect of my Department’s main offices in Dublin, Killarney and Na Forbacha was €1.9m.
As I have previously indicated to the House, overall expenditure on professional and technical services by my Department in 2014 was some €3m. This includes expenditure on technical reports on specific issues commissioned from engineering or environmental experts from time to time. While the providers of these services are consultant engineers, environmental consultants or may describe themselves in other such terms, their work is not classified as "consultancy services and policy reviews" and is not funded from my Department's Administrative Budget. Expenditure from my Department’s Administrative Budget on consultancy services and policy reviews in 2014 was in the order of €7,000.
In common with other Government Departments, as required under the Public Services Reform Plan 2014-16, my Department has prepared and published an External Services Delivery Plan. For further information of the types of activities outsourced by my Department, I would refer the Deputy to the Department's website www.ahg.gov.ie.
