Kildare North Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly has questioned the need for third-party communications advice, given that most witnesses are senior public servants.
The Office of Public Works spent more on external consultants for Oireachtas committee preparation last year than any other public body has in a single year since 2021.
Data shows that the OPW paid a total of €17,211 in 2024 to two communications firms - Gibney Communications and RGH Consultancy - for advice relating to committee appearances.
The figures are drawn from consultancy records covering State bodies and departments between 2021 and this year.
They show that the OPW’s spend last year was the highest annual amount specifically for this type of consultancy - preparation for parliamentary hearings.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform recorded a similar spend of €16,950 in 2022 for general training. However, that service included support for officials from other departments.
Overall, the Department had the highest total consultancy spend in the dataset reviewed by Kfm - amounting to over €31,000, compared with €28,489 by the OPW since 2021.
Kildare North Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly has questioned the need for third-party communications advice, given that most witnesses are senior public servants.
The OPW appeared before four committees last year - three of those after public controversy over capital project costs, including a €336,000 Dáil bike shed, a €1.4 million security hut, and a €490,000 wall rebuild.
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