Mary O'Rourke
Ceist:118 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the cost of the consultancy study carried out by Goodbody Economic Consultants into prompt payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13095/97]
Written Answers. - Prompt Payment Report.
The cost of the consultancy report on payment practices in the public sector was £20,267.50
I commissioned the report in order to provide reliable information on pay practices to support decision making in this area. While there has been a good deal of anecdotal evidence of payment practices in the public sector there was very little firm or comprehensive information in this issue. A widely quoted survey undertaken in 1992 was not comprehensive as it was based on responses from only 11 companies.
The purpose of the survey is twofold; first, it is intended to provide reliable information on existing payment practices; second, and most importantly, it is intended to establish a benchmark for measuring progress in reducing payment periods and in assessing the effectiveness of this legislation in eliminating the problem of late payment in the public sector.