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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.
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.
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.
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.
