Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2015
887. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form and by year data on 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 firm as well as the internal Department policy with regard to employing external groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23444/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is available on my Department's website at the following link http://www.dttas.ie/corporate/english/expenditure-external-services. It is the policy of the Department in the exercise of its functions to use internal resources as far as possible, however external consultants are hired occasionally in circumstances where particular expertise is not available internally and where it is deemed to add value and independence to the overall work of the Department. My Department is constantly looking at ways to upskill internal staff to minimise the need to use external consultants.
