It is understood Q4PR was hired to provide communications services due to the large number of media queries concerning the inquiry.
MI can also reveal that the consultancy firm Crowe was to receive €144,000 at the end of July for its role in providing logistical, project management and analytical support to the scoping inquiry.
A breakdown of the costs to be paid to Crowe is as follows: Partner (€55,125); manager (€67,275); senior consultant (€15,525); and junior consultant/analyst (€6,075).
The consultancy firm provided specific expertise in the fields of procurement, contracting, governance, and related matters.
In addition, Crowe provided office and meeting space for the scoping inquiry, which was charged separately, together with administrative support.
The invoice for work undertaken until the end of July, which was provided to this newspaper through Freedom of Information legislation, shows the cost of the inquiry was €258,500, in addition to €59,455 in VAT, amounting to a total of €317,955.
For his part in leading the inquiry, Dr Gabriel Scally was to receive €55,000 for the period, according to the invoice. The costs of the other team members were: Dr Karin Denton (€10,000); Dr Julia Verne (€7,000); Dr Hugh Annett (€7,000); and Mr Padraic Yeates (€2,000).
The inquiry also received legal advice, amounting to €15,000.
Expenses costs covering flights to the UK and US, hotels, and visits to labs, have been redacted.
MI reported in August that the cost of the scoping inquiry, which was established in May, was set to be €200,000 before the decision to extend the timeline of the inquiry was made.
When Dr Scally was appointed on 8 May to lead the scoping inquiry, it was planned that his work would be completed at the end of June.
However, the deadline for completing the inquiry was extended, leading Minister for Health Simon Harris to write to Dr Scally on 16 July about additional costs.
“Given the revised timescale from that originally envisaged, I trust that you will also provide an overall updated costs estimate for the inquiry to the Secretary General of my Department, as Accounting Officer, together with a detailed breakdown of costs,” the Minister stated.
The final report of the scoping inquiry was published on 12 September.
The Department of Health did not provide this newspaper with the final cost of the inquiry.
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