The Citizens Information Board (CIB) under the aegis of my Department is responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money advice and budgeting) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services. It provides some services directly to the public and directly funds and supports an extensive range of services through its delivery partners including the network of 42 local Citizens Information Centres (CIC’s) 51 local Money Advice and Budgeting Service ( MABS), MABS National Development, National Traveller MABS, Citizens Information Phone Services, Sign Language Interpreting Services and the National Advocacy Service.
The Citizens Information Board is allocated an annual budget from which it funds all of its services and is responsible for ensuring that appropriate governance arrangements are in place in relation to the expenditure of these public funds. The allocation to CIB for 2017 is some €54 million.
Expenditure by the Board on consultancy over the past five years is set out in the following table.
Consultancy services engaged by CIB
|
2016 - €
|
2015 - €
|
2014 - €
|
2013 - €
|
2012 - €
|
CIB Data Strategy
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
€11,088
|
€34,440
|
General HR Consultancy
|
3,141
|
-
|
€984
|
€978
|
-
|
ICT Infrastructure
|
-
|
-
|
€21,218
|
-
|
€4,920
|
Internal Restructuring at CIB Head office
|
168,216
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Legal Consultancy
|
-
|
12,028
|
4,287
|
-
|
-
|
Social policy research/reports
|
538
|
571
|
8,110
|
8,226
|
1,407
|
Pension Consultancy - (general advice on public sector pension and stability agreement related matters)
|
-
|
5,508
|
5,768
|
2,382
|
9,425
|
Procurement support
|
10,394
|
4,370
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Property Consultancy - (general asset management)
|
3,690
|
-
|
9,225
|
-
|
-
|
European Foundation for Quality Management ( EFQM)
|
-
|
-
|
128,566
|
152,811
|
885
|
Restructuring of Delivery Services Study
|
-
|
-
|
48,708
|
47,232
|
-
|
Total
|
185,978
|
22,477
|
226,865
|
223,436
|
51,076
|
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.