The Department of Education has paid more than £58,000 to a public relations firm since Dr Woods took over as Minister, new figures show. The money forms part of the £750,000 in consultancy fees paid by his Department over the past two years.
Almost £20,000 was paid to the firm Dennehy & Associates in 2000, while up to June 26th of this year the same firm was paid £38,480.
Advice during the ASTI dispute is understood to be one of the reasons for the increased fees this year. The Department's decision to use an outside firm during the dispute was matched by the ASTI, which used Jim Walsh Public Relations.
The firm has received more money than any other company hired this year by the Department. The next-highest amount was £32,126, paid to the National Women's Council for work on an education equality initiative, followed by £26,875 paid to McIver Consulting for a report on the post-Leaving Cert sector.
A former civil servant, Mr Sean Cromien, who carried out a review of the Department's structures, was paid £16,500 for his work, while another consultant, Mr Micheal O'Flannagain, was paid more than £14,000 for work on special education and autism. Mr Dermot Rochford was paid almost £20,000, for a study of staffing on vocational education committees.
The figures were produced by the Department following a parliamentary question from Mr Jim Higgins TD. While the question was asked in June it has taken the Department some time to compile the figures.
Dennehy & Associates is a Dublin-based firm specialising in corporate public relations, with Waterford Crystal among its clients. The Department has engaged the firm over the past two years alongside its own internal press and public relations operation.
The figures start from July 1997 and show that Dr Woods's predecessor, Mr Micheal Martin, also spent heavily on consultants. However, no money was spent during his time on outside public relations.