Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 14 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 3

Written Answers. - Departmental Expenditure.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

72 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the total moneys expended by her Department or any office under the aegis of her Department in respect of public relations costs in the past three years; the public relations firms involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30352/00]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

The only public relations expenditure incurred by my Department since my appointment in 1997 has been in relation to preparations for and initial public offering in shares of Telecom Éireann and Aer Lingus. Citigate Dewe Rogerson were appointed in 1999, with a subcontract to Drury Communications, as consultants for the marketing-public relations aspects of the Telecom Éireann IPO at a total cost of £970,332.20, including expenses but excluding VAT.

Drury Communications were appointed by me in April 2000 as a member of an advisory team engaged to assist in preparations for the initial public offering of shares in Aer Lingus. Expenditure of £65,000, excluding VAT, has been paid to date.

I have not engaged any other public relations firms apart from the above for a specific purpose.

The Irish Energy Centre, funded from my Department's Vote, engaged in public relations expenditure in respect of areas of its work programme, such as annual self-audit, energy show, energy awareness week, boiler awards, home energy show in 1998 and schools' programme. The amounts spent were as follows: 1998, Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, £42,523; 1998, Gilmore Communications, £3,000; 1999, Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, £28,635; 1999, Kinman Public Relations, £2,303; 2000, Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, £20,513.

In addition, the Irish Energy Centre spent £4,915 in 2000 on corporate public relations work carried out by Edelman Public Relations Worldwide.