The Department entered two contracts during the period in question to provide enhanced capacity, supporting necessary communications with a wide range of stakeholders on matters relating to school reopening and the Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades projects. It is common practice for Government Departments to engage external companies to support specific projects when required.
The Department engaged the services of McQuaid Media and Communications to provide communications services to the Department to support the Schools re-opening and Calculated Grades’ projects in September 2020. The total cost was €6,000.
The Department also engaged the services of the Communications Clinic to provide communications services to the Department from September 24 2020 to October 3 2020 to support the Calculated Grades’ projects. The total cost was €19,481.