Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Is the Taoiseach aware that the last time the House discussed this matter on Question Time, approximately a year ago, his predecessor said the Quigley report, which was published in 2005, highlighted the need for additional care? The then Taoiseach said that such attention is particularly needed in cases in which there may be a suggestion that a Minister or Minister of State might have an element of direct service through procurement arrangements in areas like public relations and communications. Does the Taoiseach recall his predecessor's comment on that occasion that additional procurement procedures had been approved by the Government? Are all such procedures now in place? Are they being strictly adhered to? Can the Taoiseach confirm that €60 million was spent on public relations and consultancy services by the Departments in 2004, which is the last year for which I was able to dig out figures? The Quigley report was published a year later, in 2005. Does the Taoiseach have figures for the Government's expenditure on consultancy services in 2005, 2006 and 2007?

The Taoiseach will be aware that this process was initiated on foot of concerns which were expressed about the close association between the Government parties, particularly Fianna Fáil, and those involved in public relations and consultancy firms. The House will recall that €3.315 million was spent on such aspects of the launch of the electronic voting system, even though the roll-out of that system was later abandoned by the Government. The companies that benefited from those arrangements were Q4 Public Relations and McCann Erickson. Is the Taoiseach aware that a former general secretary of Fianna Fáil, Martin Mackin, and a former adviser to the Taoiseach, Jackie Gallagher, are directors of Q4 Public Relations? Such details comprise the background to all of this matter.

Can the Taoiseach give the House a clear indication that, since the publication of the Quigley report, there has been a stricter adherence to the rules set out in that report? Has an effort been made to curtail the extent of the Government's engagement with external private consultancy firms? Is there now a greater concentration on the Government press office and the individual press entities within Departments? Is the Government less dependent on external agencies? What is the intent of the new Taoiseach in this area?

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