Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 May 2020
918. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has engaged the use of external consultants from 1 January 2020 to date; the details and costs of such engagements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5525/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department administers a very diverse and complex brief. Its remit includes oversight of very complex policy areas, oversight of State regulation and service provision across key strategic services such as energy, environment, climate change and public broadcasting, as well as regulation of sectors such as mining and hydrocarbon exploration. Given the technical complexity, economic significance and community interest in these areas, it is necessary that my Department, from time to time, procure specialist external professional advice to enable it to discharge its responsibility to deliver quality services and protect the interests of the State and the taxpayer. In procuring these services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and keeping expenditure to the minimum necessary.
The information requested in relation to my Department is outlined in the following table.
External Consultants engaged from 1 January 2020 to date;
|
Name of consultants |
Details of Work undertaken |
Total Cost of Contract (including VAT unless otherwise stated) |
|
UCC |
Consultancy to support work of the Technical Research and Modelling (TRAM) Group. Work focused on energy systems and climate modelling; The work is being undertaken as part of a 4 year publicly procured multiannual contract December 2018-2022; |
€587,955 for 2020 |
|
Economic and Social Research Institute |
Research Programme on Climate, Energy and the Economy 2020-2022; Work will include further development of the ESRI’s I3E economic model; research relating to new EU emissions targets; development of carbon budgets and implementation of certain actions under the Climate Action Plan 2019. |
€600,000 over 3 years |
|
Tobins Consulting Engineers |
National Litter Pollution Monitoring System -29th April – 12 month Contract Extension |
€47,109 |
|
Crowleys DFK |
Internal audit Services |
Drawdown Contract @ €707.25 per day |
|
Mazars |
External Quality Assurance of Audit Committee Consultancy |
€30,135 |
|
Ramboll UK Ltd |
Environmental Assessment of applications for consent for offshore geophysical, environmental, seismic survey and/or exploratory drilling activities. |
€4,833.90 |
|
Norcontel |
Review of products for deployment under the Metropolitan Area Networks Concession Agreement |
€4,305 |
|
Analysys Mason |
Technical and financial advice in respect of Galway-Mayo Telecommunications Infrastructure Project |
€122,508 |
|
Eversheds Sutherland |
Provision of corporate legal and tax advice in relation to the NDRC procurement. |
€2,500 - €3,150 (ex VAT) |
|
Hayes Solicitors |
Legal advisory services in respect of compliance with court discovery order |
€69,054.75 |
|
Matheson |
Specialist legal advice |
€5,009.18 |
|
MKO |
SEA/AA screening of National Energy and Climate Plan |
€9,102 |
|
Analysys Mason |
Provision of technical advisory services to support the implementation of the National Broadband Plan |
€7,485,400 (ex VAT - two year drawdown contract) |
|
Quadra Consulting |
Review of GSI SOP’s, Risk Assessments and Method Statements. |
€700 per day (estimated 2-4 days) |
|
McKinsey and Company Inc. Ireland |
This work was the subject of a Request for Tender in September 2019. The contract is to provide: (i) a Marginal Abatement Cost Curves to identify least cost 2050 decarbonisation pathways for Ireland, including net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050;(ii) a Marginal Abatement Cost Curve to identify the abatement potential of circular economy (including bio-economy) activities; and assistance in the development of a pilot aggregated retrofitting model for Ireland. The contract is ongoing. |
€861,000 (1 year contract) |
|
EnvEcon |
Consultancy to support work of the Technical Research and Modelling (TRAM) Group. Work focused on climate and air quality modelling; in addition work during 2020 will include support to the Department in implementing elements of EU Directive 2019/904 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment (the Single Use Plastics Directive). The work is being undertaken as part of a 4 year publicly procured multiannual contract November 2018-2022; |
€470,537 for 2020 |
|
UCD |
Consultancy to support work of the Technical Research and Modelling (TRAM) Group. Work focused on electricity systems modelling; The work is being undertaken as part of a 4 year publicly procured multiannual contract February 2019-2023; |
€341,264 for 2020 |
|
Byrne Wallace |
Legal Advice |
€3,863.97 |
