Vol. 540 No. 3
75 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs 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. [20853/01]
Expenditure on consultancies in my Department relates primarily to the implementation and development of programmes under the Irish Aid programme, and to the evaluation and assessment of areas of the Department's business such as the Passport Office computer system.
There has been no expenditure by this Department to consultancy or PR firms in respect of promotion of the work of the Minister for Foreign Affairs or the Department in the past 12 months. There are five career civil servants employed in the press office of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
