Vol. 540 No. 3
128 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the total amount paid to consultancy or public relations firms in the past 12 months in respect of the promotion of the work of the Minister or his Office; the number of persons engaged in public relations or consultancy work on a full-time basis and on a part-time basis in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20857/01]
Expenditure on consultancy or PR has focused on the development and promotion of programmes such as the euro changeover and the national development plan. Aside from this, no consultancy or public relations firm has been employed by my Department in the last 12 months with a brief of promoting either the work of the Minister for Finance or the Department of Finance.
There are four people employed in my Department's press office. One press officer, employed on contract, and three permanent civil servants – two HEOs and one CO. No one in my Department is engaged in consultancy work on either a full-time or part-time basis.
