Consultancy Contracts.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 February 2006

Thursday, 2 February 2006

Ceisteanna (217)

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

218 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of occasions on which he has sought advice from public relations consultancy firms or individuals, media advisers or other non-established civil servants in the past three years; if such advisers are retained on a permanent or per diem basis or otherwise; if such persons have had previous experience with Departments or subsidiary bodies; the rate and basis of remuneration in each case; the departmental headings from which payments were made; the extent to which payments were made under the heading miscellaneous; if reference will be made to same in the case of each Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3789/06]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche)

My Department has engaged consultancy assistance in relation to communications in seven cases in the period 2003 to 2005. In all but one case the contract was awarded on a fixed price basis. In one case where communications advice was part of a larger contract it was provided on a per diem rate. In all but one case the contractors had previous experience in working with Departments. Details are set out in the following table.

Consultancy	Consultant	Subhead	Government experience	Contractual basis	Amount paid to date	2003	2004	2005
					€	€	€	€
Race Against Waste awareness campaign — Communications element	Consortium Led By Lyle Bailie International	Environment Fund	Has previous experience with Government Department	Communications element was on per diem rate of €1,250.	565,141	Nil	232,633	332,508
Management of National Inventory of Architectural Heritage Awareness Campaign	Hunter Redcell	Built Heritage	Has previous experience with Government Department	Fixed contract	295,845	102,291	126,631	66,921
Communications consultancy	Monica Leech communications	Administrative budget	Has previous experience with Government Department	Fixed contract	66,076	18,876	Nil	Nil
Communications consultancy	Monica Leech Communications	Administrative Budget	Has previous experience with Government Department	Fixed contract	278,784	116,160	139,392	23,232
Media support for the official launch of Burren life project	Anne Jones	National Parks and Wildlife	No	Fixed contract	423	Nil	Nil	423
Communications consultancy in relation to the national spatial strategy	Drury Communications	Planning & Development	Has previous experience with Government Department	Fixed contract	97,635	97,635	Nil	Nil
Electronic voting awareness campaign — Communications element	McConnells Advertising Service Ltd/Q4 Public Relations	Paid from Central Fund	Has previous experience with Government Department	Fixed contract	733,669	733,669	Nil	Nil