asked the Minister for Finance if consultants were employed in the production of the Devlin Report; if so, who they were; and what fees were paid to them.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Devlin Report.
45.
The firm of management consultants, Booz, Allen and Hamilton International was employed by the Public Services Organisation Review Group. Fees paid to this firm for their services to the group totalled £93,640.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary think that the preparation of reports such as the Devlin Report should virtually, as we now see, have been handed over to a firm of consultants who did this enormous amount of work, assuming their remuneration was commensurate with the amount of work they did?
I would suggest the time this review should have taken place was in 1927.
That sort of facetious reply does not help.
It is not facetious at all.
I am agitated as to whether or not this is the Devlin Report or whether we were fed with a splurge from a group of consultants, professional people brought in here and by whom the job was done rather than by the sort of people whose names we saw on the report.
This is one of the three largest management consultant groups in the world.
So is their fee.
I am quite satisfied that the Devlin Committee needed their help and guidance.
Could I ask the Parliamentary Secretary are these an American group of consultants?
The three biggest groups in the world are all American-based. The three of them operate in Europe. The headquarters of this group is in the Netherlands and——
I have heard enough. Does the Parliamentary Secretary really believe that an American group of consultants, America being a continent, are suitable people to bring into this country to advise us about our affairs?
It is a pity it was not done in 1927. Fine Gael want the easy way out all the time.
How long did it take to produce this report? Are we to take it from what the Parliamentary Secretary said that the Devlin Committee merely vetted this report and examined it after it had been done?
The survey took from June, 1967, to July, 1968, and the consultants were again employed in an advisory capacity in 1969.
Are we to take it the committee merely vetted the results?
No.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say if this was not rather a high price for an alibi?
No. I do not accept the implication of the Deputy's question.
Could this report not have been compiled by Irish people who would have had the advantage of local knowledge and a knowledge of the way of life of our people? Is it to be assumed from our employment of this foreign body that we have not people within our community qualified to draw up such a report?
There is no firm specialising in this field.
Was this fee paid in dollars?
That is a separate question.
Or was the loan raised a few weeks ago used to pay it?
No, in pounds.