My Department's remit includes complex policy areas, oversight of State regulation and service provision across key strategic services such as energy, environment, climate change and public broadcasting, as well as regulation of sectors such as mining and hydrocarbon exploration. Given the technical complexity, economic significance and community interest in these areas, there is a requirement to disseminate information and to address specific issues as they arise. My Department therefore necessarily incurs some expenditure on consultancies from time to time.
In procuring these services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and to keep expenditure to the minimum necessary.
The details of theses consultancies are outlined in the following table. The majority of the contracts awarded by my Department are on a fixed rate basis and no hourly breakdown is available.