Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 January 2026
472. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Defence to detail the annual spend on external consultants by her Department and its agencies in each of the past three years; the number of consultancy contracts, the largest individual consultancy engagements by value, and whether internal capacity-building or cost-benefit assessments were undertaken prior to engaging external consultants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2443/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe table below details the annual spend on external consultants by my Department and its agencies in each of the past three years and the number of consultancy contracts.
The largest individual consultancy engagements are listed in the table below that. External consultancy is only engaged when there is a clear need for specialised expertise and the appropriate skills and resources are not available internally.
There are three bodies under the aegis of my Department; the Army Pensions Board, the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces and the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces (EOB), which was placed on a Statutory basis on 1 December 2024. Expenditure incurred in relation to these bodies is included in the material provided.
|
Year |
No. of Consultants |
Total Cost |
|
2023 |
15 |
€790,714.65 |
|
2024 |
21 |
€1,057,622.05 |
|
2025 |
18 |
€1,534,443.76 |
|
Year |
Company |
Amount |
|
2023 |
Workwear Solutions International Ltd |
€98,854.00 |
|
2023 |
Tobin |
€151,013.04 |
|
2023 |
Ernst & Young |
€175,988.40 |
|
2024 |
Crowe Advisory Ireland Ltd |
€102,121.00 |
|
2024 |
Grant Thornton Corporate Finance Limited |
€197,900.00 |
|
2024 |
EGIS |
€261,675.00 |
|
2025 to date |
Senior Counsel for Independent Inquiry into the incident of the 14 December 2022 in Lebanon involving members of the Irish defence Forces. |
€127,730.18 |
|
2025 |
Grant Thornton Corporate Finance Limited |
€1,057,012.80 |
