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Departmental Expenditure.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 October 2004

Thursday, 7 October 2004

Questions (180, 181)

Olwyn Enright

Question:

180 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount of money paid out by his Department in public relations fees; the name of the firm that was paid the highest amount; the amount paid to a specific firm (details supplied); the amount of money paid out by the Department in other consultancy fees; the name of the firm or individual paid the highest amount for the most recent 12 month period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23871/04]

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Written answers

The total amount of money paid out by my Department and the national cultural institutions in respect of public relations fees for the 12 month period October 2003 to September 2004 was €351,479. Of this total, Fleishman Hilliard Saunders received the highest amount, €127,141, for public relations and media services associated with the five month ReJoyce-Dublin 2004 festival. No payments were made to the particular company referred to by Deputy Enright.

Regarding fees paid to other consultants by my Department, a total of €1,544,334 was paid during the 12 month period in question. Of this, Deloitte & Touche received the highest amount, €194,014, in respect of verification controls on a representative sample of expenditure on projects funded under the Operational Programme for Tourism 1994-1999 in compliance with the requirements of Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2064/97.

Some 58% of the total public relations and consultancy payments referred to were made to consultants and companies contracted to provide specialist services in respect of major one-off projects and programmes undertaken by my Department during the period concerned, such as the ReJoyce Dublin 2004 festival; the cultural programme of Ireland's Presidency of the EU; and the festival of Irish culture held in China earlier this year.

Expenditure on public relations and other consultancy services is monitored closely in my Department. Such services are only engaged where the required expertise is not available within the Department.

Olwyn Enright

Question:

181 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the total amount of money paid out by his Department in legal fees; the details of the firms paid the greatest amount of fees; the total amount of money paid out in legal settlements; the number of such settlements; the total number of claims against his Department, for the most recent 12 month period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23885/04]

View answer

The total amount of money paid out by my Department in the last 12 months in legal fees is €3,346. This was a single payment to Doerner Saunders Daniel and Anderson LLP, 320 South Boston Avenue, Suite 500, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

There was one instance where money has been paid out in respect of a legal settlement in the last twelve months. The amount was €15,000. This was the only claim made in the period in question.

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