Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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501. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide in tabular form, the use of external public relations firms employed by her Department since coming to office; the list of uses of the external public relations firm; the internal Department policy with regard to employing external groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49154/14]

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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512. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total external public relation costs incurred by her Department in 2011, 2012, 2013 and estimated in 2014. [49379/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 512 and 501 together.

My Department has not incurred any expenditure in respect of the provision of public relations services from 2011 to date in 2014.

When engaging external support services, my Department does so in accordance with the provisions of the Department of Finance "Guidelines for the Engagement of Consultants and other External Support by the Civil Service".