The need for consultancy services varies from year to year. The amount of funding under the consultancy services headings approved as part of my Department's Estimate in 2002 was €3,314,000, compared with the 2001 outturn of €3,348,000. Some of the individual bodies, including the Benchmarking Body, would also have used the services of consultants. No consultancy projects within my Department have been cancelled or postponed as a consequence of the 2002 Estimate provision and no capital projects will be postponed as a consequence of the provision.
A number of consultancy studies have already been carried out for my Department this year and others are currently in progress. The following consultancy projects are currently under consideration for funding in the remainder of 2002: the engagement of a solicitor for the provision of legal advice on contracts to be offered to consultants delivering generic guidance on public private partnerships; the engagement of consultants to conduct external assessments of reports prepared by Departments under the expenditure review initiative; the engagement of a consultant from the Institute of Public Administration to provide training to managers engaging in expenditure reviews under the expenditure review initiative; and the engagement of a consultant to assist in the tender process and drawing up of subsequent contracts for the engagement of a travel agent to provide travel services for the Civil Service.
