Government Ministers spent amounts varying from €1,440 to €2.6 million on public relations and advertising last year, according to figures released through parliamentary questions.
Based on the statistics given, 11 Cabinet members spent a total of €4,407,187.41 on departmental advertising and PR in 2002.
They were responding to a written question from Fine Gael's Enterprise spokesman, Mr Phil Hogan, who asked each Minister "the total expenditure in 2002 which was spent on public relations". The interpretation of the question varied greatly from one Department to another.
The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern, said "my Department did not retain any public relations company during 2002". On the other hand, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, gave the cost of personnel in his Department "involved in media matters", which amounted to €480,745. They included "the Government press secretary, the deputy Government press secretary, four Government press officers, a press and information officer and four clerical staff". The National Forum on Europe also comes within his Department's ambit, and its employee and website costs were €59,380.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, said there was no PR spending. However, €251,605.51 was spent on advertising issues such as World AIDS day. Based on his response, the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, spent the least, €1,440, on PR, while the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuív, came a close second with 2,109.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, spent most at €2,622,356.25, which included the cost of the Department press office and a "retained communications firm", as well as occasional use of other firms for fulfilling EU publicity and information requirements.
Spending by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, totalled €150,946 on PR companies for the Euro Changeover Board and the National Development Plan investment. The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, spent 62,028, including €9,226 on photography costs for a Competition Authority conference in 2001, and the Office of Director of Consumer Affairs.
The total advertising budget for the Department of Agriculture was €718,000 last year, which the Minister said was 0.026 per cent of the total Department budget of €2.8 billion.
Both the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, and the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, did not have the information readily available, but said it would be compiled and forwarded to Mr Hogan. The Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, said external PR amounted to €33,617 last year, while the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, spent €38,443.65.
