Minister for Children James Reilly is taking steps to prevent any firm which has a contract with a tobacco group from tendering to work for bodies under his remit, among them the child and family agency Tusla.
The development comes on foot of the Minister’s disquiet that solicitors Arthur Cox are simultaneously working as corporate legal adviser to Tusla while acting for Japan Tobacco in threatened legal action against the State over plain cigarette packaging.
The corporate element of Arthur Cox’s work for Tusla is worth €800,000 per annum including VAT, and the company manages some €12 million in annual legal expenditure for Tusla through a network of 31 local solicitors.
Arthur Cox carries out similar work for the Health Service Executive, another of many public clients.
The chief civil servant in Dr Reilly’s department, Fergal Lynch, said in correspondence to the Minister on Wednesday that the it would be “extremely problematic” for Tusla to withdraw from its arrangements with Arthur Cox before its contract expires next February.
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However, Mr Lynch said the Minister might wish to consider asking all agencies in his remit “to insider a requirement in all future procurements” that firms tendering for services must sign a declaration confirming they have no contractual arrangements with tobacco companies.
Source: Arthur Beesley, Irish Times, 27/02/14
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