Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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102. To ask the Minister for Finance the amount paid by the National Treasury Management Agency and the National Asset Management Agency for public relations in 2017; the amount paid to each firm; the rates that apply; when the main public relations contracts for the two agencies are up for renewal; and the firms that operate the contracts concerned. [31742/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the communications teams of both NAMA and the NTMA are supported by an external service provider, Gordon MRM. I am advised that an initial contract covering both bodies commenced in January 2013 and ran for an initial period of three years. An option to extend the contract for a further two years was utilised which meant that the contract expired in January 2018.

In Q3 2017, the NAMA Board took the decision to tender for a press and communications services provider to NAMA under a separate contract from the NTMA. Following a competitive public procurement process, Gordon MRM successfully tendered for this contract which commenced in January 2018.

The NTMA awarded its current contract to Gordon MRM on 3 May 2018. The duration of the contract is 3 years and may be extended by the NTMA for a further period or periods in aggregate of up to two years.

The table below details the amounts paid by both the NTMA and NAMA for public relations in 2017.

Please note all figures are inclusive of VAT

*At the direction of the Minister for Finance, the NTMA incurs the cost of professional advisers on matters relating to the work of the Banking Unit. The Banking Unit is seconded to the Department of Finance and is assigned to its Shareholding and Financial Advisory Division. These costs have been fully recovered from AIB. €91,202 of the €312,602 was for the provision of advertising in print media.