Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the total amount paid in terms of fees or expenses for the appointment of press or public relations consultants from outside his Department for each year since 2002; the firms appointed and the specific project or responsibility for which they were engaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26970/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Earlier this year, in the context of the expanding budget of Ireland's official aid programme, Drury Communications were hired to provide assistance in developing a communications strategy for Irish Aid. While this short consultancy is nearly completed, as yet no payments have been made.

No other press or public relations consultancy firms were appointed by the Department since 2002. However, in the interest of completeness, the Deputy may wish to note the following. A consultancy contract also provides assistance to the Development Cooperation Directorate of the Department in the management of its public information policy and strategy on official development aid. The contract value is €34,880 and covers the period August 2005 to August 2006.

In November 2004, following an open tender process, the Department employed the Cork based company, Real Event Solutions, to design, organise and manage a primary school competition around the theme of international development and the UN Millennium Development Goals. The competition , which was completed in 2005, had a public relations aspect aimed at encouraging school participation, both at a regional and national level, and cost €17,204 (including VAT).

Following an open tender process during the autumn of 2005, Real Event solutions have again been employed to organise and manage a similar primary school competition around the same themes. The competition is due to be launched in September 2006, and to date no costs relating to public relations have been incurred by the Department.

Following a tender process, Red Dog Design were employed by the Department, on behalf of the Interdepartmental Presidency Administrative Planning Group, for work relating to the design and branding of the EU Presidency and the launch of the related logo. The company was paid €43,461.37 in 2003 for this work. The same company was paid €23,466.74 in 2004 for a promotion campaign for the EU Presidency Website. The greater part of this amount was for the purchasing of media advertising space in national newspapers and on local radio.