Government paid EUR1.3m in fees to PR consultants

Ten Government Departments have paid out over €1.3 million in fees to external public relations consultants since the Coalition was returned to office in June 2002, it has emerged.

The funding is in addition to the €300,000 paid to Waterford-based public relations consultant Ms Monica Leech who was hired by the Department of the Environment shortly after the appointment of the then minister, Mr Cullen.

The spending on external consultants is also separate to the cost of the provision of full-time press advisers in various Government Departments as well as for civil servants assigned to work in press offices.

The appointment of Ms Leech has been the subject of much controversy in recent weeks and the Government is currently considering the options available for an inquiry.

Details of the public relations spending by Government Departments was revealed on foot of a series of parliamentary questions put down by Fine Gael deputy Mr Paul McGrath.

The Taoiseach confirmed that his Department had spent €77,000 on external consultants over the last two years. These related to contracts for the EU presidency, the national disability strategy and the affordable housing initiative.

The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said his office had paid out €279,658 on external public relations including contracts awarded by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal and for anti-racism campaigns.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Martin, said that three external public relations companies had been engaged by his Department. Payments included over €120,000 to Camden Communications for advice to the Director of Consumer Affairs and over €87,000 to Carr Communications for services to the Companies Registration Office.

The Department of Arts, Tourism and Sport spent nearly €400,000 on external consultancy contracts since 2002.

The Department of Education spent €114,000 on external public relations services while the Department of Foreign Affairs had an external public relations bill of around €70,000 since 2002.

The Department of Finance and its agencies spent nearly €200,000 on public relations and related contracts in the same period.

Figures for five Government Departments were unavailable last night.