John Bruton
Ceist:14 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the number of external consultants engaged on projects for his Department and agencies or committees that come under the aegis of his Department. [1223/99]
Written Answers. - Consultancy Contracts.
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:15 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the total amount expended by his Department on external consultancies in 1998; the average spent on each engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2578/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 15 together.
There are currently four external consultants engaged on projects for my Department. In addition, there are seven consultants engaged at present by the bodies under the aegis of my Department. These comprise two consultants engaged by the Information Society Commission, two by the Moriarty Tribunal, two by the Central Statistics Office and one by the Chief State Solicitor's Office.
During 1998, the expenditure on consultancies by my Department amounted to £128,417. This represents expenditure on eight projects or engagements, and the average spend on each was £16,052. In all, ten consultancies were commissioned by the Information Society Commission, the National Economic and Social Forum, and the All-Party Committee on the Constitution at a total cost of £147,442, averaging at £14,744 for consultancy.
The cost of a consultancy commissioned by the Referendum Commission in 1998 was £111,622.