Organisation information
Department consultancy spending
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From: Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
- Published on: 11 July 2022
- Last updated on: 10 November 2025
See how much the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science spends on consultancy every year and what it spends it on. Every year, the department collects information on consulting fees for the year before.
2024
| Name of consultant/firm | Start date | End date | Purpose of engagement | Report publication details | Total cost in 2024 |
| BDO Eaton Square Limited | Jul 2022 | Jun 2024 | Provision of ICT consultancy services | Yes – report for publication | €50,430 |
| John McGrath | Apr 2023 | Jul 2024 | Update to the Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction & Retrofitting 2023– 2030 | Yes – report for publication | €22,950 |
| McGahon Surveyors | 16/05/2023 | 10/03/2024 | Quantity Surveyor Services | Yes – report for internal use only | €28,751.25 |
| John McGrath | 01/07/2023 | 31/08/2023 | Research regarding apprentice pay rates and the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 | Yes – report for internal use only | €20,000.00 |
| BH Associates | Sep 2023 | Apr 2024 | Preparation of Thought Leadership Papers to support the progression of a more unified tertiary system | Yes – report for internal use only | €12,300 |
| Rory Byrne | 29/09/2023 | 31/08/2024 | Public Service Apprenticeship Advisor - to be the central point of contact offering co ordination and advisory services to public service bodies and connect them to the services needed to establish an apprenticeship in their organisation. | No report commissioned | €59,839.50 |
| David Jones | 08/01/2024 | Ongoing | Evaluation of Irish FET Practitioner Structures in ETBs against International Comparators | Yes – report for publication | €36,500 |
| Deloitte | 22/01/2024 | 28/02/2024 | Research for Policy Co-creation workshops | Yes – report for internal use only | €18,450 |
| Keith Brumfitt | 21/02/2024 | Ongoing | Evaluation of Irish FET Practitioner Structures in ETBs against International Comparators | Yes – report for publication | €29,450.50 |
| Audrey Cumberford | 21/02/2024 | Ongoing | Evaluation of Irish FET Practitioner Structures in ETBs against International Comparators | Yes – report for publication | €12,357 |
| Ellen Hazelkorn | 21/02/2024 | Ongoing | Evaluation of Irish FET Practitioner Structures in ETBs against International Comparators | Yes – report for publication | €17,775 |
| Orchard Ltd | Feb 2024 | Apr 2025 | Communicating Tertiary Education | Yes – report for internal use only | €47,355 |
| MCCP Ltd | Feb 2024 | Aug 2025 | Irish construction workers abroad - motivations to travel and return home | Yes – report for internal use only | €61,439 |
| McGahon Surveyors | 12/03/2024 | 11/03/2025 | Quantity Surveyor Services | Yes – report for internal use only | €98,205.25 |
| BVG Associates Ltd | Apr 2024 | Oct 2024 | Offshore Wind Skills Action Plan 2024 – Action Plan to guide future activity in the Tertiary Education sector in terms of programme provision for the development of offshore wind in Ireland. | Yes – report for publication | €55,000 |
| ESRI Ireland | Sep 2024 | Sep 2025 | Geographic Information System (GIS) Professional Services | No Report | €12,300 |
| EY | Sep 2024 | Feb 2025 | Research and Forecast for “Skills Required for Modern Methods of Construction” Report | Yes – report for publication | €36789.30 |
| Indecon International Economic Consultants | Sep 2024 | Dec 2024 | REACT EU evaluation | Yes – report for publication | €48,818.70 |
| Orchard Ltd | Nov 2024 | Nov 2024 | Strategic Plan Workshop facilitation | Yes – report for internal use only | €5,535 |
Department consultancy spending 2024
Return of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science's spending on consultancy in 2024.
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2023
| Name of consultant/firm | Start date | End date | Purpose of engagement | Report publication details | Total cost in 2023 |
| Accuracy Market Research | March 2023 | March 2023 | Careers in Construction - Report | Yes - report for publication | €24, 600.00 |
| Accuracy Market Research | March 2023 | June 2023 | Careers in Construction - Action Plan | Yes - report for publication | €24, 600.00 |
| Rory Byrne Educational Training | January 2023 | May 2023 | Research collection phase, Development and Submission of the PSAP 2023. | Yes - report for internal use only | €38,514.38 |
| RPS Consulting Engineers Ltd | May 2017 | September 2023 | Structural Consultancy Services in respect of the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) PPP Project | No report | €9,730.53 |
| Deloitte | September 2022 | September 2023 | Internal Audit Support Services | No report | €36,043.24 |
| Crowe Advisory Ireland Ltd | April 2023 | May 2023 | Planning and delivery of a Strategic Visioning workshop to develop the next Statement of Strategy | Yes - report for internal use only | €6,119.25 |
| BH Associates | October 2022 | March 2024 | Engagement of services of an expert adviser to support the development of policy to progress a more unified tertiary education system | No report | € 12,300.00 |
| H2 Learning Ltd | February 2023 | August 2023 | Oversight Group - Single Portal for Career Guidance and Skills information | Yes - report for internal use only | €8,755.50 |
| McGahon Surveyors | May 2023 | March 2024 | Provision of Senior Quantity Surveyor Services | No report | €42,281.25 |
| BDO Eaton Square | July 2022 | June 2024 | ICT Consultancy Services | Yes - report for internal use only | €153,750.00 |
| John McGrath | April 2023 | June 2024 | Research regarding apprentice pay rates and the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 | Yes - report for internal use only | See Note 1 |
| John McGrath | April 2023 | January 2024 | Provision to monitor and review the projections noted in the Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction & Retrofitting, 2023 to 2030 | Yes - report for internal use only | See Note 1 |
| A & L Goodbody Solicitors (See Note 2) | July 2022 | June 2023 | Consultancy fees – National Music College Ireland (NMCI) - Minister Changes | N/A | €6,986.40 |
| GateOne (See Note 2) | October 2022 | December 2022 | Staff Development Away Days/Workshops Values and Behaviours Statement | Yes - report for internal use only | €24,600.00 |
| 2023 total | €425,180.55 |
Note 1
Consultant engaged in 2023 but no payment made before year end.
Note 2
Consultant engaged in 2022 but not paid until 2023
Department consultancy spending 2023
Return of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science's spending on consultancy in 2023.
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2022
| Name of consultant/firm | Start date | End date | Purpose of engagement | Report publication details | Total cost in 2022 |
| Orbidal | May 2022 | December 2022 | Procurement consultancy services | Yes - report for internal use only | €26,660.25 |
| BDO Eaton Square | July 2022 | December 2023 | ICT consultancy services Yes - report for internal use only | €23,677.50 | |
| BDO Eaton Square | December 2021 | April 2022 | ICT Consultancy Services | Yes - report for internal use only | €30,442.50 |
| BDO Eaton Square | July 2021 | January 2022 | E-Cohesion CRM System Review | Yes - report for internal use only | €27,982.50 |
| University College Dublin | October 2022 | November 2022 | To undertake an expert bibliometrics analysis of the research performance of the Irish higher education sector from 2010 to 2020 | Yes - report for internal use only | €24,354 |
| OECD | November 2021 | May 2023 | To comprehensively review Ireland's strategy and approach, through research and extensive consultation with key stakeholders across the skills ecosystem, focusing on four priority areas | Yes - for publication | See note 1 |
| BH Associates | October 2022 | April 2023 | Provision of services of expert advisor to support the development of policy to progress a more unified tertiary education system | Yes - for publication | See note 2 |
| RPS Consulting Engineers Ltd | May 2017 | 2023 | Consultancy fees - NMCI PPP | N/A | €22,969.02 |
| A & L Goodbody Solicitors | July 2022 | 2023 | Consultancy fees – National Music College Ireland (NMCI) - Minister Changes | N/A | See note 2 |
| Turner & Townsend | May 2022 | 2023 | Consultancy fees – Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) External Assurance Process | N/A | See note 2 |
| GateOne | October 2022 | December 2022 | Staff Development Away Days/Workshops - Values and Behaviours Statement | Yes - report for internal use only | See note 3 |
| 2022 total | €156,085.77 |
Note 1
Payment made in 2021.
Note 2
Payment made in 2023.
Note 3
Consultant engaged in 2022 but no payment made before year end.
Note 4
None of the consultancy expenditure itemised above was incurred in relation to the Department’s response to COVID-19.
Department consultancy spending 2022
Return of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science's spending on consultancy in 2022.
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2021
| Name of consultant/firm | Start date | End date | Purpose of engagement | Report publication date | Total cost |
| BDO Eaton Square (see note 1) | July 2021 | January 2022 | eCohesion (CRM) System Review | Internal report (see note 2) | €56,703.00 |
| Behaviour & Attitudes | September 2020 | March 2021 | Provision of market research survey consultancy services | June 2021 | €11,663.48 |
| Crowe Ireland | March 2021 | July 2021 | Provision of consultancy services in support of the organisational design of the newly-formed department | Internal report (see note 2) | €122,754.00 |
| Indecon International Consultants | February 2021 | December 2021 | Consultancy services for review of Student Grant Scheme 2021 | April 2022 | €93,836.70 |
| Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) | November 2021 | March 2023 | Review of Ireland's National skills Strategy 2025 | Q1 2023 | €350,000.00 |
| Deloitte | October 2021 | September 2022 | Internal Audit Support Services | No report | No 2021 payment (see note 3) |
| Total | €634,957.18 |
Note 1
The figure shown is the total cost of the consultancy in 2021. Of this amount, €28,351.50 was recouped from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Note 2
Internal report, not for publication.
Note 3
Consultancy work began in 2021; no payment was made before the end of the year.
Note 4
None of the consultancy spending listed above was related to the department’s response to COVID-19.
Department consultancy spending 2021
Return of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science's spending on consultancy in 2021.
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2020
| Name of consultant/firm | Start date | End date | Purpose of engagement | Report publication date | Total cost |
| Behaviour & Attitudes | September 2020 | March 2021 | Provision of market research survey consultancy services | June 2021 | €11,473.83 |
| Indecon International Consultants | December 2019 | July 2020 | Agreement covering the Common Provisions Regulation funds and operational programmes for the ESF and ERDF for 2021 to 2027 | July 2020 | €64,124.00 |
| Indecon International Economics Consultants | February 2020 | December 2020 | Review of the International Education Strategy 2016 to 2020 | February 2022 | €107,327.00 |
| Professor Tom Collins | April 2020 | November 2020 | Review of lecturing | Internal report (see note 1) | €20,570.00 |
| Total | €203,494.83 |
Note 1
Internal report, not for publication.
Note 2
None of the consultancy spending listed above was related to the department’s response to COVID-19.
Department consultancy spending 2020
Return of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science's spending on consultancy in 2020.
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