BERTIE'S EUR74OK ADVICE SQUAD; Taoiseach's office reveals consultants fees bill.

Byline: By AINE HEGARTY, Political Editor

THE Taoiseach's department paid consultants more than EUR740,000 last year, figures revealed yesterday.

Bertie Ahern's office has an army of highly-paid civil servants but still needed to outsource "advice".

The Taoiseach revealed the bill in response to a Dail question by Fine Gael's Bernard Durkan.

Consultancy firms including Goodbody's Economic Consultants and RA Consulting were among those awarded lucrative contracts by the Taoiseach's office Mr Ahern said PA Consulting was hired "for expert support" for the Organisational Review Programme Team. It received EUR23,958 for a minimum of 20 days work over six months.

RA Consulting was brought in last November at a cost of EUR18,101 to carry out an opinion poll among staff at the Taoiseach's department.

Mr Ahern said consultants were required "to assure staff of the confidentiality of the survey and the independence of its findings".

The biggest single payment was EUR490,000 to the Office of Economic Co-operation and Development for a review of public service.

The Taoiseach said it will be "the first comprehensive review of the service undertaken in the country".

With public servants still furious over last week's pay freeze decision, they may be surprised the OECD was paid to compare their wages with other European countries.

Mr Ahern it would also recommend how to reform public service to support "the Government's drive for a world class service". Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick Associates was paid EUR57,838 to evaluate customer service in the public sector. Financial experts Isolde Goggin and Gillian Lauder picked up EUR108,900 for a review for the department.

Goodbody's Economic Consultants were brought in to "provide economic support to government departments" at a cost of EUR29,040.

Accountancy services for the National Economic and Social Development Office cost EUR11,505, while its legal fees cost EUR10,701.

Xperidox Consulting was paid EUR63,2235 to implement a NESDO project.

Irish Mirror

Comment: P 8

TOWNSHIP HOME VISIT

THE Taoiseach will visit the South African township today where 1,380 Irish people built 200 homes for the poor.

Mr Ahern's trip to the Niall Mellon Township Trust in Cape Town is part of his official four-day visit.

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CAPTION(S):

IF IN DOUBT: Bertie Ahern