Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 2 Feb 1999

Vol. 499 No. 3

Written Answers - Contracts and Disbursements.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

124 Mr. Durkan asked the Taoiseach the number, description and identity of contracts, consultancies or disbursements entered into, awarded or approved by his Department since coming into office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2651/99]

The Taoiseach:

Contracts, consultancies, and disbursements funded by my Department since coming into office relate directly to the administration and activities of the Department itself and to the bodies under it aegis. Contracts cover a number of categories such as employment, supply of equipment, types of maintenance and general supplies of goods and services. The following schedule 1 sets out relevant information on appointments of staff. My Department has commissioned a number of consultancies since June 1997. The following schedule 2 sets out the relevant information on consultancies engaged. Disbursements are made from the Vote of my Department either directly to payees or from the funds provided to the bodies under the aegis of my Department. Such disbursements cover all administration costs for my Department. Grants are issued under the Soldiers and Sailors Land Trust Act, commemoration initiatives, territorial employment pacts, and in 1999 for millennium celebrations.

Administration and activities are funded for the National Economic and Social Council, the National Economic and Social Forum, the Information Society Commission, the National Partnership Centre, the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation, the all party committees on the Constitution and SMI. Funds are also provided for administration and legal costs of the McCracken and Moriarty tribunals. Since coming into office, my Department has also funded the Referenda on Cabinet confidentiality and Northern Ireland.

Given the volume of contracts and disbursements relating to the general operations of my Department and the bodies under its aegis, I do not consider it an efficient use of official time and funds to provide the level of detail requested by the Deputy as this would generate an inordinate amount of time and cost in my Department.

Schedule 1

Contract staff appointed since 26 June 1997 to date:

Since coming into office The Taoiseach has approved 33 contracts

Contract Staff – Political Appointees

Martin Mansergh	Special adviser
Paddy Duffy	Special adviser
Gerry Hickey	Special adviser and programme manager
Katherine Bulbulia	Programme manager to the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Harney
Jackie Gallagher	Special adviser (resigned on 30 November 1998)
Joe Lennon	Government press secretary
John Murray	Deputy Government press secretary and head of GIS
Marty Whelan	Manager of the media monitoring unit, GIS
Cyprian Brady	Personal Assistant
Evelyn Eager	Personal Assistant
Una Hanley	Personal assistant
Denise Kavanagh	Personal assistant
Olive Melvin	Personal assistant
Sean Nolan	Personal assistant
Frank Lahiffe	Personal assistant to Deputy Séamus Brennan, Government Chief Whip and Minister of State
Kristin Quinn	Personal assistant (resigned on 28 August 1998)
Celia Larkin	Personal assistant-administrator
Mary Browne	Personal secretary to Deputy Séamus Brennan, Government Chief Whip and Minister of State
Grainne Carruth	Personal Secretary
Debbie Miller	Personal secretary
Frank Worley	Usher
Contract Staff-others
Norman Wilkinson	Part-time director of the Information Society Commission (retired from post 22 August, 1998)
Mike Neary	Part-time director of the Information Society Commission (replaced Mr. Wilkinson)
John O'Dowd	Joint director of the National Centre for Partnership
Gerry Grogan	Joint director of the National Centre for Partnership (resigned 30 October 1998)
Jim O'Neill	Joint director of the National Centre for Partnership (replaced Mr. Grogan)
Jacqueline Ashmore	Executive with the National Centre for Partnership
Cormac Mc Connell	Executive with the National Centre for Partnership
Kevin Whelan	Part-time historian to the 1798 Commemoration Committee (Contract expired 31 December 1998)
Marie McLoughlin	Provision of make-up services
Tom Rowley	Press officer, National Millennium Committee
Emma O'Callaghen	Temporary typist
Ruth Graham	Temporary typist

Schedule 2

Consultancies engaged prior to 26 June 1997 but continued after that date:

Name	Duties
Mairead Mullaney	Contract librarian	(currently engaged)
Noel Dorr	Taoiseach's representative on the UN Carlsson Group established to examine proposals on UN Reform	(currently engaged)
Dermot Nally	Consultancy on Cabinet Confidentiality and Northern Ireland	(not currently engaged)
KPMG	Consultancy for efficiency of non-national roads	(contract completed)
Irish Marketing Surveys	Survey in relation to customer satisfaction within the Civil Service	(contract completed)
Drury Communications	Consultancy on SMI communication	(contract completed)
Price Waterhouse	Consultancy for efficiency audit group review of Irish Air Corps and Naval Service	(contract completed)

Consultancies commissioned from 26 June 1997

Prof. P. Beaumont	Address at a seminar for the high level group on trade union recognition	(once-off engagement)
Irish Productivity Centre	Facilitation for the partnership committee	(once-off engagement)
Fusio Limited	Design of the Department page on the Website	(contract completed)
Hall Public Relations and Corporate Affairs	PR consultants for the 1798 commemor-ation	(contract completed)
ESRI & St. John's University, New York	Basic income study	(currently engaged)