Departmental Reports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 January 2014

Tuesday, 21 January 2014

Ceisteanna (402)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

402. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in tabular form the total amount spent since February 2011 on external reports commissioned by his Department including payments from ministerial allowances, broken down by report; if he will provide the details of any consultants employed; the names of each report and their status as published or ongoing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2357/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Details of the external reports commissioned by my Department are set out in tabular form. The bulk of the studies referred to are technical and specialist in nature and were necessary to enable the Department to discharge its policy and project responsibilities in the areas concerned. Payments from Ministerial allowances are not a charge on my Department's Vote and are not a matter for my Department.

Consultancy Name	Purpose of Consultancy	Cost €	Publication Status
Dr Michael Johnson	Silvermines Vegetation Study	5,848	This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase
Camp Dresser McKee CDM	Sampling of Gortmore and Silvermines Vegetation	13,890	This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase
Purvin & Gertz	Strategic Case for Oil Refining requirements	193,997	Published
PA Consulting Group	National Digital Research Centre	29,040	This report was not published as it contains commercially sensitive information.
OHH Energy Ltd	Independent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line	41,120	Published
Elimark	Independent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line	38,786	Published
2B Energy	Independent Commission on Meath Tyrone Power Line	32,284	Published
Indecon Economic Consultants	Economic/Socio-Economic Analysis of options for rollout of next generation broadband	28,167	This Report was not published as it is commercially sensitive and may impact on Government procurement in Broadband provision.
SLR Consulting	Core Library Holdings Review	39,688	Published
Jenny Deakin	Preparation for the Graigue Group Water Scheme Report	1,750	Published

Consultancy Name	Purpose of Consultancy	Cost €	Publication Status
Analysys Mason	Analysis of options for potential State intervention in the rollout of next generation broadband	30,522	This Report was not published as it is commercially sensitive and may impact on Government procurement in Broadband provision.
CDM Smith Ireland Limited	Environmental Monitoring at former mining areas of Silvermines, Co. Tipperary and Avoca, Co. Wicklow	170,014	Ongoing
Indecon International Economic Consultants	Assessment of Economic Contribution of Mineral Exploration and Mining in Ireland	53,690	Published
Thornton’s Chartered Surveyors	Provision of land valuation and negotiation services (Silvermines)	3,690	This Report will not be published until completion of land purchase

Consultancy Name	Purpose of Consultancy	Cost €	Publication Status
Neary Marketing & Communications	Review of Irish Geoscience Sector Phase 1	€10,000	This Report was not published as it is commercially sensitive.
Neary Marketing & Communications	Review of Irish Geoscience Sector Phase 2	€10,000	This Report was not published as it is commercially sensitive.
Pricewaterhouse Coopers Ltd	Scheduled review of INFOMAR Project	€59,505	Published
AMEC Earth & Environmental (UK) Ltd	Expert Services to Monitor Mining Activities and Compliance with terms of State Mining Leases/Licences.	33,498	Ongoing. This Report will not be published as it is commercially sensitive

Consultancy Name	Purpose of Consultancy	Cost €	Publication Status
Indecon (Ireland)	Provision of a Macro-Economic Research Exercise under the National Digital Strategy to Determine the Value of Internet/Digital to the Irish Economy	€72,474	Published
Environ UK Ltd	Corrib gasfield project – monitoring compliance with the Conditions of the Department’s Letter of Consent dated 25 February 2011	€557,779	Ongoing
Norcontel (Ireland) Ltd	Market analysis of backhaul infrastructure in Mayo and Galway	€10,500	Published
Indecon (Ireland)	Economic Analysis of the Advertising Market in Ireland	€71,438	Ongoing