35. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide in tabular form per annum all external consultant reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011; the costs per report; the company involved; the title of the report and the publication date. [28845/14]

My Department is responsible for two Votes – Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade) and Vote 27 (International Cooperation).

The Department commissions external expertise where highly specialised skills are not available within the Department and particularly where ongoing independent evaluation of programmes and projects is required. During the course of their engagements, these consultants/experts may prepare reports and other documentation for the Department. In-depth analysis of issues by external experts has informed - and continues to inform - my Department’s policies, allowing for more targeted use of resources and greater accountability in the allocation of budgets.

The following tables set out the details of external reports commissioned under Vote 28 and Vote 27 since March 2011.

External Reports commissioned under Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade)

External Reports commissioned under Vote 27 (International Cooperation)

*Reports commissioned by the Department in relation to Irish Aid matters are generally for internal management usage and not for publication. However, many are published on the Irishaid.ie website or, in appropriate cases, can be made available on request.