Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 29 Feb 2000

Vol. 515 No. 3

Written Answers. - Consultancy Contracts.

Nora Owen

Ceist:

86 Mrs. Owen asked the Taoiseach the consultancies, work groups and specialist groups employed for carrying out studies in his Department; when these groups were established; when their reports are expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5779/00]

The Taoiseach

The consultancies, work groups and specialist groups currently employed to carry out studies in the Department are outlined in the following schedule, with the information requested by the Deputy.

The Deputy may wish to note that the Department also engages consultants to provide other services, such as public relations or IT work. Such contracts are not related to carrying out studies or work groups and do not give rise to published reports. I provided information on total expenditure on consultancies by my Department in 1999 to Deputy Bruton in answer to a question on 15 February 2000.

Consultancies, work groups and specialist groups currently employed by the Department to carry out studies:

1.Basic income study: in 1998 the Partnership 2000 working group on basic income commissioned a study on basic income to be carried out in two phases. Phase 1 was carried out by the ESRI and St. John's University, New York, and has been completed. Phase 2 is currently being carried out by a consortium led by the ESRI and is expected to be finalised shortly.

2.The SMI team commissioned a report to evaluate the progress that has been made to advance organisational partnerships in the Irish economy. Professor Rory O'Donnell, UCD, and Professor Paul Teague of Queen's University Belfast were commissioned in autumn 1999 to carry out the evaluation. It is expected that this report entitled, Partnership at Work in Ireland: An evaluation of progress under Partnership 2000 will be published shortly.

3.Financial management review: the Department engaged consultants to carry out a review of the financial management function in the Department with a view to implementing the SMI reforms. This review commenced in November 1999 and the review will be finalised shortly.

4.Information Society Commission: three studies currently under way:

(i)Comparative international research on best practice in innovation in learning consultants, CRITE – Centre for Research in Technology in Education – TCD, Dublin 2. The Information Society Commission engaged CRITE to carry out this study on 10 February 2000. The research is designed to inform the commission's contribution to shaping a public policy approach to learning issues in the light of new and evolving technologies. Material from the research will be presented at a seminar being arranged by the commission on 1 June 2000.

(ii)Research into general public awareness and usage of information and communications technology for 2000. The commission engaged the MRBI in July 1999 to carry out this study. The purpose of this research is to build on previous research carried out in 1998 and 1999 to establish the trends in awareness and usage of new technology amongst the general public. The fieldwork is to be carried out in June 2000, and the report is expected in July 2000.

(iii)Research into awareness and usage of information and communications technology amongst Irish businesses. The commission engaged the MRBI in June 1999 to carry out this research. The fieldwork is to be carried out in July 2000 and the report is expected in August 2000. The purpose of this research is to build on previous research carried out in 1998 and 1999 to establish the trends in awareness and usage of new technology amongst the Irish business community.

5.The National Economic and Social Forum commissioned a study of local authority housing.