Vol. 541 No. 2
175 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason she allocated, in 1997, moneys to five different consultants for system development and organisation review projects; if one contractor might not more effectively have undertaken this work; and the services provided and the payments made in respect of each of the five consultancies. [21008/01]
In 1997 my Department engaged six different consultancies under the category "system development and organisation review projects". The companies involved, the services provided and the cost are outlined in the following table:
|
Company engaged |
Services provided |
Cost of service IR £ |
|
Clear Systems Solutions |
Enhancement/maintenance of systems in Patents Office |
18,301 |
|
Coopers & Lybrand |
Business process reengineering project in the Patents Office |
105,547 |
|
Deloitte & Touche |
Development costs in 1997 for a customised system for Redundancy, Insolvency and Recoveries Division – project started in previous period |
25,834 |
|
Interact |
Design/development of website for Department |
15,530 |
|
Oracle Europe Manufacturing |
Development costs in 1997 of a customised system for the Insurance Regulatory Authority – project started in previous period |
55,174 |
|
Quest Computing |
System enhancements to system developed for Employment Appeals Tribunal in 1995 |
26,305 |
176 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason she has included in her fees for consultancy services a number of examples of payment for legal services from private firms in view of the fact that she has available to her through the Attorney General's office and the Office of the Chief State Solicitor, a system of legal advice provided by the public sector; and if she has satisfied herself that there will be consistency in the legal advice provided if her Department is seeking advice from both official sources and private sources on a paid basis. [21009/01]
The schedule attached to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 92 of Tuesday, 26 June 2001, Ref. 19092/01, which concerned details of consultancy work carried out on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, included the cost of legal fees incurred by the Director of Consumer Affairs, the Registrar of Friendly Societies and the Competition Authority. These are, respectively, independent statutory officers and a statutory body and obtain legal advice and representation independent of the State. The schedule also included details of legal costs association with investigations and prosecutions being carried out under the Companies Act, for example, the cost of representation in the Cayman Islands. There was also a cost associated with a barrister employed to assist in the drafting of consolidation of company law. The nature of these legal costs, as indicated, means that the question of possible lack of consistency in advice provided to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment does not arise.
