Kildare TD Demands Accountability Over Government's €37m Consultancy Spend

Monday, 6 January 2025 10:06

By Martin Osborne

Aidan Farrelly TD said government departments should utilise in-house expertise to save on costs.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth accounted for the largest share of spending to consultants, totalling almost €10m.

The outgoing coalition government spent over €37 million on consultancy services in the last two years, sparking criticism from a Kildare TD.

Official figures, disclosed in response to parliamentary questions from former Kildare North TD Catherine Murphy, detail expenditures on legal advice, IT services, external audits, and more.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth accounted for the largest share of spending, totalling almost €10m.

The figures, highlighted below, included €7.6 million paid to Deloitte for supporting the response to Ukrainian refugees.

Minister Roderic O’Gorman defended the spending, citing the urgent humanitarian response required.

Other departments also made significant expenditures:

The Department of Agriculture spent €6 million, citing EU regulatory requirements.
The Department of Transport spent €4.2 million, linking the costs to a €35 billion transport investment plan.
The Department of Higher Education allocated €3.3 million, partially for IT systems.

Catherine Murphy's successor, Kildare North Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly, expressed concern about the reliance on external consultants.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, he said: "You would expect that where there is certain expertise needed that can't be sourced internally that you'd go outside the department. But there seems to be almost a reliance on a third party. If annually there are going to be areas of work that are required to be outsourced at a premium cost, I'd like to see government departments looking to employ that expertise in-house."

More from Local News

Kfm Obituary Notices

Kfm obituaries notices are broadcast daily following the 8am, 10am, 1pm, 5pm news
Sharp Rise In M9 Collisions With Garda Call-Outs Up Year-On-Year

The figures, provided by An Garda Síochána, show a sharp increase compared to previous years.
Councillor Seeks Clarity On How Often Nightclubs and Late Bars In Naas Are Inspected For Fire Risks

Kildare Fire Service says all venues applying to renew their annual dance licence through the District Court were inspected in advance of the hearings.
Unpaid Eight-Month Work And Training Placement For Adults With Disabilities Branded "Extremely Unfair"

One Kildare mother told Kfm News that their child had been attending structured placements each weekday, typically from around 9:30am to 3pm, and in some cases carrying out tasks for up to two hours at a time - but are not receiving any form of payment.
Department Of Education Defends Kildare SNA Cuts Amid Claims Of Reduced Need At Some Schools

They said there "are many reasons why the level of need for SNA support in schools may fluctuate including falling enrolments, reduced or increased care needs and changing demographics as children move from primary to post-primary schools".
Naas Nurses Threaten Escalation As Staffing Row Deepens

Nurses spoke to Kfm News this week about issues they are dealing with on a daily basis.
Driving Tests Face Disruption As RSA Testers To Strike Next Week

The driving test centre in Naas is the only driving test centre in Kildare and attracts candidates from Kildare, Dublin, Wicklow and Laois.
Kfm Obituary Notices

Kfm obituaries notices are broadcast daily following the 8am, 10am, 1pm, 5pm news