Leech’s pay more than annual wage bill of press office

MARTIN CULLEN’S €1,200-a-day PR adviser, Monica Leech, has been paid more taxpayers’ money than it costs to employ the entire staff of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s press office for a full year.

While Ms Leech works three days a week as a communications consultant for the Department of the Environment, the Government Press Office is on duty 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, dealing with national and international queries.

As Mr Ahern prepared to appoint an independent expert to investigate the circumstances surrounding her appointment, Ms Leech told RTÉ the past few weeks have been “dreadful”. She said that following legal advice, she won’t be making any further comment to the media.

Yesterday, Mr Ahern disclosed that the Government Press Office staff, comprising Government Press Secretary, Mandy Johnston, and five civil servants, will cost €306,000 this year. But Environment Minister Dick Roche revealed Ms Leech has been paid €310,000 since being appointed by his predecessor, Mr Cullen, in summer 2002.

The figures, contained in Parliamentary Question responses to Fine Gael deputy finance spokesman Paul McGrath also show the Taoiseach’s department has spent only €77,000 on external PR consultants since June 2002 and that the Department of the Environment has six civil servants employed in its press office.

Since the revelation that Ms Leech had been paid €303,000 was first reported in the Irish Examiner a month ago, payments to the Waterford-based consultant have continued to rise to €310,000.

Although Ms Johnston is responsible for press relations for Mr Ahern and the communications strategy of the Government, her annual salary is €109,244, less than the €127,775 already paid to Ms Leech this year.

After calls for an immediate investigation intensified yesterday, Mr Ahern’s spokesperson confirmed the inquiry will take place, with an appointment to be announced today or tomorrow. Tánaiste Mary Harney is also backing the establishment of the inquiry, according to a spokesman. “The Tánaiste agrees that if a speedier mechanism can be derived to examine it then that should happen and that such an examination would be appropriate,” he said.