The Comptroller and Auditor General has been asked to investigate the expenditure by the Department of Health of more than £1.1 million on outside public relations and consultancy services in the last two years.
New figures show that Drury Communications has been paid approximately u£344,000 for media advice and promotional work by the Department.
u5,000 £5,000 a month, excluding VAT and expenses, for media assistance. The Estimates published this week reveal that the Department's allocation for consultancy services is to increase next year by 39 per cent from £515,000 in 1999 to £715,000 for the year 2000.
The breakdown of the payments to Drury and other companies in the last two years were released to the Fine Gael spokesman on health, Mr Alan Shatter, by the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, in the Dail this week.
Drury was paid £163,688 for "media advice to the Minister and his Department" since June 1997, £20,153 for PR services in relation to the launch of National Lifestyles Survey, £21,000 plus VAT for drafting the national Traveller Health Policy, and approximately £140,000 in a monthly retainer for advice.
Fleishmann-Hillard Saunders was paid £27,631 for PR work on the folic acid campaign in 1998.
Gilmore Communications was paid u30,250 £30,250 for PR services for National Healthy Eating Week last year and u33,880 £33,880 for work on the same campaign this year.
Mercer Ltd was paid u126,307 £126,307 for insurance actuarial advisory services and u54,283 £54,283 for the preparation of the report on VHI corporate status. Deloitte and Touche was paid £117,348.