Written answers
Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Department of Justice and Equality
Departmental Contracts
Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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639. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the costs incurred by his Department and bodies under its aegis from contracts awarded to communications and PR firms in 2024; the name of the contractor and a description of the work undertaken in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32644/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Public procurement is governed by EU and national rules and my Department ensures that appropriate procedures are followed for all procurement activity. Departments are obliged to ensure that public procurement is discharged in line with the standard accounting and procurement rules and that contracts awarded represent best value for money.
Public procurement practices are subject to audit and scrutiny under the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993. Procurement is also subject to examination by internal audit. To ensure adherence to these public procurement rules, my Department routinely uses the national public procurement frameworks from the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) for all goods and services, where these are available.
My Department has not incurred any costs relating to communications or PR firms in the period referred to. Services in relation to communications and related matters are provided by civil servants in the Department.
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to costs incurred by bodies under the aegis of the Department is provided in the table below:
Agencies and bodies under the aegis of my Department:
| Body/Agency | Supplier | Description | Expenditure in 2024 (€ Inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| An Garda Síochána | The Communications Clinic | Media Skills Training Garda Press Office | 12,139 |
| Courts Service | Curran Communications | Media relations service | 144,000 |
| Data Protection Commission | Sodali | Strategic Public Relations Services | 29,520 |
| Fiosrú | Lucky Beard Ltd | Corporate identity development. Public information/awareness campaign | 128,147 |
| Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland | MKC Communications | Advised and assisted on the development and implementation of the GRAI Communications Strategy | 131,041 |
| Irish Film Classification Office | DHR Communications | Support for general communications and public relations activities | 36,670 |
| International Protection Appeals Tribunal | Alice PR | Provision of event planning and management services for the European Chapter Conference of the International Association of Refugee and Migration Judges (IARMJ) held on 9th -10th September 2024 in Dublin. | 19,710 |
| The Judicial Council | The Communications Clinic | Stakeholder communications and press releases | 2,337 |
| Legal Aid Board | Carr Communication | Presentation skills training | 550 |
| Legal Services Regulatory Authority | Gibney Communications | Communications coaching | 2,435 |
| Parole Board | DHR Communications | Event management planning for the inaugural Parole Board conference | 13,791 |
| Parole Board | Montague Communications | Providing support to the Parole Board | 1,107 |
| Policing and Community Safety Authority | DHR Communication | Communications Services (Authority members Media Training) | 10,609 |
| Policing and Community Safety Authority | Alice PR | Public Relations (Communications Support, October / November) - PCSA Launch | 6,883 |
| Policing and Community Safety Authority | Drury Communications | Communications Services (Authority members Media Training) | 1,015 |
| Policing and Community Safety Authority | Barrett Business Communications | PCSA Website Services | 2,200 |
| Policing and Community Safety Authority | Carr Communications | Staff training course (Planning & organising) | 300 |
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