Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 May 2001

Vol. 537 No. 2

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff.

Richard Bruton

Question:

248 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people employed in his Department's press office; the estimated annual budget of the office; the estimated cost of public relation consultancy engaged by his Department, showing the figures for 1998-2000; and the estimated costs for 2001. [15895/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

My Department's press office is staffed by two higher executive officers and two clerical officers. There is no specific budget for the office. The costs of running the press office are not separately identified but included in the overall administrative budget of the Department.

As previously indicated in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 133 on 11 April 2001, payment to public relations consultancy firms by my Department since 1998 are as follows:

1998	1999	2000
£161,921	£112,599	£139,711

These payments cover a range of areas and include support for such items as health promotion campaigns, European Drug Prevention Week, the launch of the Slán survey and the National Children's Strategy.

The estimated costs of official health promotion campaigns for 2001 are currently in the region of £270,000. This estimate includes the full year 2001 costs of programmes commenced in late 2000 but not fully under way until this year, for example, the alcohol awareness and "Think Twice" sexual awareness campaigns.