Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 150: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of occasions on which she has sought advice from public relations consultancy firms or individuals, media advisers or other non-established civil servants in the past three years; if such advisers are retained on a permanent or [i]per diem[/i] basis or otherwise; if such persons have had previous experience with Departments or subsidiary bodies; the rate and basis of remuneration in each case; the departmental headings from which payments were made; the extent to which payments were made under the heading miscellaneous; if reference will be made to same in the case of each Minister of State in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3785/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In the past three years, neither I or my predecessor have engaged the services of public relations consultancy firms or individuals. However, I did retain the services of a media adviser from 30 September 2004 to 18 February 2005. He was employed on a contract basis and had previously worked with me in a similar capacity in the Department of Social and Family Affairs. His annual salary during his tenure in my Department was €82,066, the maximum level of the principal officer salary scale at that time. This was paid from my Department's administrative budget — wages and salaries. During the period in question no such advice was obtained by Ministers of State in my Department.