Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 28 Mar 2002

Vol. 551 No. 4

Written Answers. - Consultancy Contracts.

Phil Hogan

Ceist:

116 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the amount of funding for consultancy and related study contracts which has approved as part of the 2002 departmental Estimates and the budgets of each organisation and agency falling within the Department's aegis for this type of work; the degree of cutback compared to 2001; the consultancy projects which have been cancelled or postponed as a consequence of the cutbacks; the capital projects which will be postponed as a consequence of the cutback in consultancy budgets; the consultancy projects under consideration with his Department and its agencies which will be funded in 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10928/02]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

The following information relates to the amount of funding for consultancy and related study contracts which has been provided for in the 2002 Estimates:

Consultancy	Project	Paymentsdue in 2002€
AFCON	Evaluation of the CAP rural development plan	12,835
–	Joint project with Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture in cross-Border rural development	10,200
–	Consultancy-outsourcing on information technology	9,523,300
Deloitte & Touche	Certification of annual feoga account	100,000
PriceWaterhouse-Coopers	Risk management	77,000
Seaver Associates Quality Management Consultants	Implementation of ISO 9001:2000 – arrangements re beef export refunds.	35,000

In addition to the above, consideration is being given to the employment of a consultant to examine the Department's overseas development assistance. No consultancy projects for 2002 have been cancelled or postponed. Information concerning the budgets of agencies and boards which come under the aegis of my Department is not available in relation to this type of work as these are operational matters for the organisations concerned.