Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Apr 1993

Vol. 429 No. 6

Written Answers. - Market Research Consultants.

Ivan Yates

Question:

98 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Justice if she will give details of the firms which have been retained in her Departmental area and that of her Minister of State for market research, advertising, public relations and marketing purposes; the projects, if any, which are being carried out by each of these firms; the fees or retainers, if any, which are being carried out for each of these projects; the duration of the contract for each project; if all such services were secured through tendering; and if she will give details of the tendering procedure used.

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn)

My Department has a contract with Carr Communications Ltd. This contract is for advice and assistance in regard to contacts with the media and the Department's public image generally. The contract was initiated by my predecessor in February 1992 and was renewed by me with effect from January of this year for a period of one year.

The cost of the contract is £1,653.67 (inclusive of VAT) per month.

Government contract procedures do not prescribe competitive tendering for consultancy where the service sought is of a specialist nature but do specify that the sanction of the Department of Finance should be sought. This was done on initiating the contract in 1992 and again on renewal of the contract this year.