DUBLIN CITY Council has spent more than €220 million on external consultants since 2004, with consultants' fees costing the city more annually than its fire service.
The council has spent more than €50 million annually on private consultants since 2004. The net cost of running the fire service, which city manager John Tierney has said the council can no longer afford, is around €40 million.
More than 90 per cent of the money spent on consultants is associated with major infrastructure projects, with reports relating to waste treatment plants, roads and traffic infrastructure or social housing regeneration schemes.
However, almost every department in the council makes some use of consultants, from feasibility studies on arts projects or recommendations on charges and fees for council services.
The council says it engages consultants "when absolutely necessary to provide expert advice". In relation to infrastructure projects, the engagement of consultants is part of the procurement process conducted in line with national guidelines and European directives, it says.
However, Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan said the council should be spending far less on consultants, particularly given that it is facing an increasingly tighter budget to run the city's services.
"The council is facing a 3 per cent budget cut in the coming year. There is a need for a serious scaling back in terms of the money spent on consultants rather than a scaling back on council personnel or services."
In some areas, there was sufficient expertise in the council to make spending money on private consultants unnecessary, he said.
"In many cases, I think it is the lazy option. There are a lot of experienced people in the council who would have equal if not greater expertise in certain areas than outside consultants," Mr Doolan said.
The council said its annual budget for consultants working on infrastructure projects is 6 per cent of its annual capital expenditure.
The Irish Times
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