It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available.
I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Orders.
I refer to Parliamentary Question 3780/25 answered on the 6th February 2025: To ask the Minister for Enterprise; Trade and Employment the details of each time his Department, or public bodies under the aegis of his Department, enlisted the services of consultants in 2023 and 2024; the purpose, value, and duration of each contract in relation to public bodies under the aegis of his Department, including where consulting contracts are classified under ‘business-as-usual outsourcing’ for annual reporting; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The response indicated that additional time would be needed to obtain the requested information. This information has now been collated and is set out in tabular form attached.
My Department considers engaging consultancy services in cases where there is not the necessary expertise to deliver a project in-house, in cases where an external assessment is deemed essential, or in cases where a project must be completed within a short time scale, and although the expertise or experience may be available in-house, performing the task would involve a prohibitive opportunity cost. My Department complies with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's guidelines for engagements of consultants by the civil service, having regard to public procurement guidelines.
In respect of the agencies that come within my remit, they are statutorily independent in their functions and this is an operational matter for them. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the agencies for direct reply.
Consultancy Services
