Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2015
145. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Taoiseach if he will provide in tabular form, broken down by year, the use of external public relations firms employed by his Department since coming into office; if he will provide the list of uses of the external public relations firms; and internal Department policy with regard to employing external groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23443/15]
View answerThe following table provides details of external public relations firms employed by my Department from 9 March 2011 to 11 June 2015:
|
Name of Firm |
Purpose |
|
Caroline Erskine, Media and Public Affairs Consultant |
To assist in the implementation of the communications plan for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union and Associated Projects |
|
Q4 Public Relations |
Support for the Convention on the Constitution |
My Department ensures that it gets best value for money in the procurement of all goods and services and keeps to a minimum the engagement of public relations firms. In the cases set out above, the use of external public relations firms was limited to work carried out for Ireland's EU Presidency in 2013 and the Constitutional Convention.
