Reporter Brian O’Connell researched the PR operations – internal and external – of eight state agencies. Including…Irish Water.

Mr O’Connell went on RTÉ Radio One’s Today with Sean O’Rourke to bring the details.

“Internal communications: 11 people working in Ervia and Irish Water across the full range of of media and communications for Irish Water. Ervia does not disclose salary information for employees.

External communications : They have a panel of service providers in accordance with relevant EU and Irish procurement rules and they say this is to get the most competitive rate.

In total, Five public relations agencies have been appointed to provide services to the Ervia group of companies, which includes Ervia, Gas Networks Ireland and Irish Water.

A panel of two consumer PR agencies was appointed by Ervia in January 2014 – PSG Communications and The Reputations Agency.

These appointments were made for three years with an option to extend for a further two years at Ervia’s sole discretion. The services provided pursuant to these appointments include consumer public relations, event management etc.

A panel of three corporate public relations and public affairs agencies was appointed by Ervia in October 2014 following a competitive tender process run in adherence to the applicable procurement laws and approval from the Ervia board.

This panel consists of Murray Consultants, Q4 PR and Edelman Ireland. These appointments are run for three years with an option to extend for a further two years at Ervia’s sole discretion. The services provided pursuant to these appointments include corporate, financial and crisis public relations and public affairs.

Ervia  do not disclose detail in relation to contract value. But it wouldn’t be uncommon to have these kind of services cost between €700 and €1500 a day.

There you go now.

Listen in full here

(audio may be posted later)