Analysis: Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent, looks at the widespread use of outside consultants
Answers to Dáil questions put to 13 Government Ministers and the Taoiseach by Sinn Féin TD Arthur Morgan have given an indication of the extent of the use of outside consultants by all Government Departments.
The questions, answered in writing last week, show the number of contracts worth over €100,000 agreed by each Department with outside bodies since 2001.
The list includes many contracts for normal and routine activity, including school building and the purchase of equipment.
The contracts cover services ranging from personnel training to economic advice, public relations, the preparation of various reports, IT systems, construction and cleaning.
Mr Morgan asked each Minister the names of companies that had received contracts worth over €100, 000 in each of the past five years. Departments chose to answer the question in different ways. The Department of Foreign Affairs merely listed these companies without breaking them down by year.
The Departments of Health, Transport and Environment broke them down by year, gave the purpose of each contract but not the value. The Departments of Justice, Defence and Education, listed the companies by the year, the value of the contract but not the purpose.
The Departments of the Taoiseach, Social and Family Affairs and Agriculture, listed the companies by the year, but gave neither the value nor purpose. Only the Departments of Finance and of Enterprise listed the year, value, company name and purpose.
Two Departments - including the Department of Communications and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs - are still in the process of collating the information.
Contracts worth over €100,000 awarded this year by the Department of Health include one to Carr Communications in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers for "business skills training".
Others include Hunter Red Cell for a radio advertising campaign in connection with the launch of the National Adoption Contact Preference Register; McBrinn Printing for the printing of application form and explanatory leaflets for the National Adoption Contact Preference Register; and Indecon economic consultants for an economic analysis of childcare policy options.
In 2001 Colgan and Associates received over €100,000 for a "consultation programme for the development of the National Health Strategy". This involved gathering "the views of members of the public, service users, service providers, staff and management of the health service and to channel these views into the development of the health strategy".
Corporate Graphics then received more than €100,000 for designing and publishing the National Health Strategy and associated documents, including material for the strategy's high profile launch. Mercer Resource Consulting Ltd received over €100,000 for producing "a detailed feasibility study and analysis of the available options for an insurance scheme for persons infected by Hepatitis C and HIV by blood and blood products administered within the State".
Other contracts for more than €100,000 included one to Prospectus Strategy Consultants in 2002 for an "audit of structures and function in the health system". This was one of the reports underpinning the Health Service Reform Programme announced in June 2003.
In 2000 the Department of Finance gave IBI Corporate Finance, Davy Stockbrokers and Donaldson Lufkin and Jenrette €478,573 for their advice concerning the proposed merger and flotation of ACC and TSB.
That year Deloitte and Touche - the firm that has received some €40 million for the controversial PPARs project in the Department of Health and a further €18.12 million for the separate FISP system - received €184,632 for consultancy on the competitive process to award a new licence to operate the National Lottery.
In 2002 the Department of Finance gave contracts to consultants who advised on the benchmarking process including Hay Management Consultants (€225,797), TBP International Ltd (€111,896), DLA (€265,629) and Watson Wyatt Partners (€632,115).
The Department of Defence awarded two of the largest contracts this year, both for helicopter purchase.
One for €48.4 million went to Bell/Agusta Aerospace Corporation for the provision of four utility AB 139 helicopters, with a separate contract worth €12.8 million going to Eurocopter for two light utility EC 135 helicopters.
Figures given by the Department of Education go up to 2004 and include a contract for €94.6 million to Bus Éireann for the provision of school bus transport.
Deloitte and Touche seconded an accountant to the Department of Finance in 2002 to provide "financial, accountancy and related advice" for €122,191.