Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 October 2025
204. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the number of external consultancy contracts entered into by his Department in the past five years, including the original estimated cost, the final cost, and the reasoning for contracting this work rather than using internal resources. [54323/25]
View answerIt should be noted that my Department was re-configured as the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport at the beginning of June 2025. The details sought by the Deputy in relation to external consultancy contracts entered into in the past five years for the current functions under the remit of my Department are set out in the table below.
|
Year |
Consultancy company |
Original Estimated Cost (incl. VAT) |
Final Cost (incl. VAT) |
Reasoning for contracting work |
|
2022 |
KPMG |
€25,000 |
€25,000 |
Specialist expertise related to subsea telecoms cable market. |
|
2022 |
PricewaterhouseCoopers |
€ 164,565 |
€164,565 |
External Operational Management Advisory Services required for the National Postcode System. |
|
2023 |
Aspira |
€56,211 |
€16,293 |
External Operational Management Advisory Services required for the National Postcode System. |
|
2023 |
PricewaterhouseCoopers |
€1,400,773 |
Ongoing (spend to date €1,128,006) |
Specialist expertise related to subsea telecoms cable market. |
|
2023 |
PricewaterhouseCoopers |
€30,750 |
€30,627 |
Expertise not available within the department – the tender was for technical economic consultancy services. |
|
2023 |
Mazars (Forensic Accountancy – RTÉ Barter Account) |
€300,000 (excl. VAT) |
€286,160 |
Forensic accountancy specialism not available to Department. |
|
2023 |
Crowe Advisory (Governance and Culture in RTÉ – assistance to Expert Advisory Committee) |
€250,000 (excl. VAT) |
€230,533 |
Governance specialism not available to the Department at the time and, where available, otherwise deployed. |
|
2023 |
Crowe Advisory (Contractor Fees, HR and Other Matters in RTÉ – assistance to Expert Advisory Committee) |
€250,000 (excl. VAT) |
€401,591 |
HR specialism not available to Department at the time and, where available, otherwise deployed. |
|
2023 |
Ernst and Young |
€258,413 |
€259,638 |
Specialist external expertise was required for Interim evaluation report on the National Broadband Plan. Contract completed. |
|
2023 |
Analysys Mason |
€135,300 |
€71,279 |
Specialist technical expertise was required for advisory services to support the management of the Galway Mayo Network |
|
2023 – 2024 |
GM Moore Limited |
€54,120 |
€20,295 |
External expert advisory required in respect of the National Postcode Project. |
|
2023 –2025 |
PricewaterhouseCoopers |
€356,762 |
€322,928 |
External Operational Management Advisory Services required for the National Postcode System. |
|
2024-2026 |
Analysys Mason Ltd |
€872,473 |
Ongoing (spend to date €189,280) |
Advisory services relating to the specification, implementation, testing, management, and maintenance of a national Public Warning System (PWS) |
|
2024 |
William Fry |
€1,790,388 (Estimated cost of €895,194 per annum for 2 year term from February 2024) |
Contract ongoing (spend to date €868,734) |
Specialist legal expertise is required for legal advisory services in support of the Department's Digital Connectivity Office. |
|
2024 |
Analysys Mason |
€3,079,920 (Estimated cost of €1,539,960 per annum for 2 year term from March 2024) |
Contract ongoing (spend to date €2,979,721) |
Specialist technical expertise is required for managed technical services to support the Department's Digital Connectivity Office. |
|
2024 |
Analysys Mason |
€3,810,050 (Estimated cost of €1,905,025 per annum for 2 year term from March 2024) |
Contract ongoing (spend to date €2,506,879) |
Specialist technical expertise is required for technical subject matter expert services to support the Department's Digital Connectivity Office. |
|
2024 |
Analysys Mason |
€577,485 (Estimated cost of €288,743 per annum for 2 year term from May 2024) |
Contract ongoing (spend to date €203,836) |
Specialist technical expertise is required for technical, commercial and financial advisory services for the Galway Mayo Ducting Project. |
|
2024 |
WIK Consult |
€1,020,285 (Estimated cost of €510,143 per annum for 2 year term from July 2024) |
Contract ongoing (spend to date €329,914) |
Specialist strategic and economic expertise is required for Strategy and economic advisory services to support the Department's Digital Connectivity Office. |
|
2024 |
Ernst and Young |
€4,600,000 (Estimated cost of €2,300,000 per annum for 2 year term from August 2024) |
Contract ongoing (spend to date €1,503,936) |
Specialist commercial and financial expertise is required for commercial and financial advisory services to support the Department's Digital Connectivity Office. |
|
2024 |
PricewaterhouseCoopers |
€58,573 |
€58,573 |
Specialist external Data Protection advice required. |
|
2024 |
Institute of Public Administration |
€20,295 |
€20,295 |
Sector specific expert external advice required to review governance oversight arrangements within the Department. |
|
2024 |
Indecon International Economic and Strategic Consultants |
€116,210 |
€116,210 |
Independent analysis required for review of Designation of Events of Major Importance to Society under the Broadcasting Act 2009. |
|
2025 |
Public Authority Pension Services Ltd |
€4,500 |
€6,790 |
Services required to provide specialist advice on public sector pensions |
|
2025 |
KPMG |
€246,000 |
€485,700 |
The Department required professional assistance and external advisers to assist in the management of the NDRC's portfolio of shares |
|
2025 - 2027 |
Fexco Limited |
€1,574,400 |
Ongoing (spend to date €163,246) |
External expertise required in respect of the transition of the National Postcode Project to a new operational environment. |
