Vol. 534 No. 4
102 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the total amount of money paid by her Department, including payment in respect of Ministers of State, in respect of public relations consultancy work undertaken by private sector public relations consultancy firms each year for the years 1998, 1999 and 2000. [10887/01]
The only public relations expenditure incurred by my Department since 1998, has been in relation to preparations for an initial public offering – IPO – in shares of Telecom Éireann and Aer Lingus. Citigate Dewe Rogerson were appointed in 1999, with a sub contract 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 was 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 |
