Consultancy Contracts

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 January 2011

Wednesday, 12 January 2011

Ceisteanna (835)

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

888 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the total cost of the December 2009 report entitled Measuring the Administrative Burden on Irish Business prepared by EPS Consulting for his Department; the fees paid to consultants to date in relation to the process of measuring the administrative burden imposed by 15 Departments, the Revenue and the Central Statistics Office overseen by him; if the proposal to engage consultants to complete this process of measurement across Government has yet been put to Cabinet; if this proposal has been adopted; the estimated cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48248/10]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe)

During 2009, my Department commissioned EPS Consulting to measure a prioritised list of 31 Information Obligations in Company Law, Employment Law and Health & Safety Law. The total cost of the project, including the Report presented in December 2009, was €58,249.

To date, my Department has paid fees totalling €55,880 to consultants other than EPS Consulting in relation to the administrative burden reduction target. These costs cover fourteen projects dealing with the listing and prioritising of Information Obligations, Standard Cost Model training and advice on sectoral and technical matters arising during the overall process of measurement.

I intend to bring a proposal to Government shortly regarding the detailed process of measuring the approximately 120 prioritised Information Obligations identified by participating Departments and Revenue in the administrative burden reduction project.