Cullen's PR adviser deal may have breached rules

THE tendering process which resulted in the appointment of Transport Minister Martin Cullen's €1,200-a-day PR adviser Monica Leech appears to have breached national and EU rules on awarding public contracts.

Mr Cullen has stated that only three firms were invited to tender for a longer term communications consultancy contract for the Department of the Environment after a short-term contract was awarded to Monica Leech Communications in July 2002 without going to tender. Yet public procurement guidelines state quite clearly that at least five companies should be invited to tender for such contracts.

The Irish Examiner understands only one of the two other companies invited to tender for the longer term contract in November 2002 submitted a bid.