Written answers

Thursday, 14 December 2017

Department of Finance

Public Relations Contracts Data

Photo of Shane CassellsShane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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140. To ask the Minister for Finance the use of external public relations firms employed by his Department in each year since March 2011; the list of uses of the external public relations firm; the internal Department policy with regard to employing external groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54244/17]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I take it that the Deputy is referring solely to external public relations and not to advertising that would be incurred by my Department in the normal course of business, such as entries into telephone directories, the placing of advertisements in national newspapers, recruitment advertising, etc.

The use of external public relations firms in respect of my Department since March 2011 is outlined in the following table:

Year Commenced
Use of External Public Relations Firms
Public Relations Firm
2015 Following the Government decision of 13 May 2015 on mortgage arrears, my Department was asked to coordinate the development and implementation of a communications strategy around the Government-funded and other available supports for borrowers in arrears. The duration of the contract was from October 2015 until June 2016. Responsibility for the mortgage arrears publicity campaign now rests with the Abhaile Mortgage Arrears Resolution Service. Carr Communications was the successful tenderer following a public procurement exercise advertised on Etenders.
2015 Under the Action Plan for Jobs 2015, action 110 required an "advertising campaign to leverage support for and drive utilisation of the Supporting SMEs Online Tool and increase awareness of the existence of State supports for business." This advertising campaign was co-ordinated by the SME Communications Group a sub-group of the SME State Bodies Group which is chaired by my Department. ICAN was the successful tenderer following a public procurement exercise.
2016 As part of a range of competition measures agreed with the European Commission under their respective EU-Restructuring plans AIB and Permanent TSB are required to provide funding to a public awareness campaign (such campaign to be facilitated by Ireland through an appropriate state body) to raise awareness and promote customer switching. As such my Department are currently managing a contract for the provision of Research, Design and Media Buy Services (Public awareness and customer switching campaign) in retail banking markets. This is being funded in its entirety by the two banks. Language Communications Ltd was appointed as Prime Contractor for this campaign following a public procurement competition advertised on Etenders and the Official Journal of the EU. This contract was extended in 2017 in accordance with the provisions of the competition.
2017 Public Relations consultancy, including media engagement, in relation to the Initial Public Offering of AIB. The costs for this consultancy was incurred by the Department of Finance, and was paid on behalf of Department of Finance by the NTMA. All costs will be recoupable from AIB in due course. Gordon MRM
2017 Publication of an Article covering the success of the Department of Finance in the IITD Awards 2017 where my Department won the “Best Learning and Development Organisation- Medium Category 2017.” MediaVest

The Department's policy regarding employing external groups is to follow the relevant public procurement rules and procedures.

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