Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputies Carthy and Catherine Murphy on the public relations expenditure. I have no issue with the company, Q4 Public Relations, whose reputation precedes it. It is a very professional outfit, but why do we need it in the first place? We have in-house media and communications expertise in the Department of Health and the HSE. While I know that in the greater scheme of things it is a relatively small amount of money, there is a principle involved here. It is now the norm that however small a State agency or an arm of the State may be, as a matter of practice one of the PR companies is retained to advise.

Of the amounts of money that were spent, as outlined by Deputy Catherine Murphy, what proportion was used in preparation of personnel to appear before Oireachtas committees?

I think that is in part what this money was used for. These people are brought in and told Deputy MacSharry will say this and Deputy Catherine Murphy will say that and they should say the other. I do not think that is a space we need to be in.