Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 2002

Vol. 554 No. 5

Written Answers. - Consultancy Contracts.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

152 Mr. Allen asked the Taoiseach the amount of funding for consultant and related study contracts which has been approved as part of the 2002 departmental estimates and the budgets in each organisation and agency falling within his 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. [17174/02]

The Taoiseach:

A breakdown of the 2002 revised estimate for consultancy services and related study contracts in my Department and bodies under its aegis is contained in the following table. This includes a contingency provision for work which may arise later in the year. No cutbacks have occurred in consultancy and study related contracts compared to 2001 and no consultancy has been cancelled or postponed. A list of consultancy projects under consideration within my Department and bodies under its aegis which will be funded in 2002 is contained in the table.

Table 1: Provision for consultancy and study related contracts in 2002

Subhead	€	Consultancy Projects to be funded in 2002
Department of the Taoiseach(Subhead A7 – Consultancy Services)	661,000	Management Information FrameworkEmployee Opinion Survey Human Resource Management System IT Strategy ReviewContingency provision for work that may be required during the year
Department of the Taoiseach(Subhead A8 – Information Society–eCabinet & Other Initiatives)	1,890,083	Implementation of the e Cabinet initiative Evaluation of the Equalskills InitiativeAudit of the Equalskills Initiativee Government Scholarships
Subhead B – National Economic &Social Council	71,202	Wage Bargaining studyAgriculture PaperHousing PaperNorth / South StudyOther Studies to be confirmed
Subhead F – All Party Committeeon the Constitution	23,700	Public RelationsResearch CostsFeasibility Study
Subhead H – National Centre forPartnership & Performance	65,561	Corporate identity Information & Consultation EUGuidence on Financial PreparationCompetency FrameworkForum on the Workplace of the FutureImplementing Learning Strategy in Irish OrganisationsContingency for work that may arise during the year under the NCPP work programme for 2002
Subhead I – National Economic & SocialForum	46,634	Working Arrangements StudyEarly School Leavers StudyHealth Study Social CapitalStructure AssessmentOlder Workers Other Studies to be confirmed
Subhead L – Millennium Celebrations	8,000	Public Relations consultancy in respect of Millennium projects
Subhead O – National Forum on Europe	165,000	Media Strategy and Market Survey Contingency for work that may arise during the year under the Forum's work programme for 2002
Central Statistics Office	366,000	Management Information FrameworkHuman Resource Management Support PackageReview of IT and data management strategies
Total	3,293,680