The Department of Finance spent more than €7 million on its advertising campaign during the euro changeover a year ago, new figures reveal.
Files released under the Freedom of Information Act show the expenditure was incurred last year and in 2001 advertising what proved to be a complex but successful changeover process.
The documents show the Department paid €1.27 million last year to All Ireland Media last year and €4.37 million in 2001 for the purchase of the advertising space in the media.
The Department also paid €129,838 to Adept Creative Services last year and €1.29 million in 2001 for the design and delivery of the euro changeover advertising campaign.
Such figures were included in overall expenditure data released by the Department which showed that it spent more than €3.5 million on completed consultancy contracts last year.
Although this figure excludes sums paid on a number of ongoing contracts, it was significantly lower than the expenditure of €7.94 million on completed contracts in 2001.
However, the figures for both years appear to have been distorted somewhat by once-off costs associated with the introduction of the euro.
In addition, the Department paid more than €2.2 million in 2001 and 2002 to consultants hired by the Public Sector Benchmarking Body.
Outside advertising expenditure, the files reveal that Deloitte & Touche received €10,871 last year and €145,683 in 2001 for assistance during the currency changeover preparations.
In addition, the Department paid €37,394 last year and €117,234 in 2001 to Carr Communications for public relations services during the changeover. It also paid €40,615 to Irish Marketing Surveys in 2001 for research on public awareness about the euro.
The documents reveal that the big legal, accounting and corporate finance firms did significant work for the Department last year.
Major projects under way include the establishment of the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. Solicitor A&L Goodbody has been paid €1.64 million to date in respect of ongoing work on the project.
A&L Goodbody was also paid €368,760 in respect of ongoing work on the sale to Rabobank of ACC Bank. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was paid €103,697 to audit completion accounts in relation to the same transaction and Merrion Corporate Finance was paid about €95,230. PwC was paid €862,000 in 2001 and 2002 for work in relation to the e-procurement initiative.
O'Donnell Sweeney Solicitors was paid €156,776 in respect of ongoing work on legal advice on the drafting of the Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002.
Matheson Ormsby Prentice received €130,106 for the secondment of a solicitor to assist in "legal and related matters" in the Department. The contract is ongoing.
KPMG Consultants, now Bearingpoint, was paid €178,825 for information technology work on a customised version of the Peoplesoft Human Resources Management System.
