Sir, – State expenditure of €38 million on external consultants in the near-seven years between March 2011 and December 2017 works out at well below €6 million a year ("State spent ¤38 million commissioning over 900 reports since 2011", News, January 8th).
This is not an extraordinary amount in the context of annual exchequer spending of over €70 billion during that period. But it does highlight the need to recruit more specialist staff at all levels of the Civil Service – including senior levels – to ensure that our State bodies have the expertise they need to deliver the advice and services that the State and its citizens expect.
In recent years there has been a growing trend towards the appointment of generalists to top positions, including in State agencies and departments with specific technical or professional roles. The inevitable result is that these organisations have to look – and spend – externally in order to perform their statutory functions. – Yours, etc,
ANDY PIKE,
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Head of Division,
Fórsa – Civil Public
& Services Union,
Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1.