NUIG paid PR firm €22k in wake of ‘menstrual’ storm

NUI Galway availed of a public relations company when the university was in the eye of a media storm over its controversial health questionnaire that included questions about women’s menstrual cycles.

Dublin-based PR company, Drury/Porter Novelli, was paid fees of a little over €22,500 by NUIG between February and July last year.

The money was paid out for PR consultancy fees during a period in which NUIG was heavily criticised and received negative local, national and international media attention over its ‘sexist’ health questionnaire.

Drury’s expertise was hired in addition to the five members of staff who work full-time in NUIG’s communications office.

Invoices reveal that Drury charged NUIG a total of €19,795.71 for public relations consultancy for the six months up to May 14, 2015.

It was during this period, in February, that Galway City Tribune exclusively revealed disquiet among staff about a pre-employment health questionnaire that asked invasive questions about women.

It paid a further €2,712.15 for the two months to July 16, 2015.

The figures were released following a Freedom of Information request. NUIG had initially refused to release the cost of the contracts and cited “commercial sensitivity”.

“The supplier has indicated to us that the release of such information would be harmful to its position in a competitive market,” it said. However, the information was released on appeal.

Last February, NUIG suspended its occupational health ‘pre employment health assessment’ forms when the Galway City Tribune revealed it asked female job applicants about their menstrual cycle.

Among the questions asked were: “Do you suffer with any problems with your menstrual periods? Do you suffer any breast problems? Have you ever been treated for gynaecological problems?”

Gender inequality issues had been to the fore at NUIG and the story attracted national and international attention.

NUIG has confirmed that it has five staff at its communications office, including a press officer, press executive, administration assistant, information assistant, and internal communications officer. In 2014, it had six, including a director.

It explained that it hired Drury for “additional support for its communications activity” last year to help “fill the gap” left by Director of Marketing and Communications moving to “a more senior role” in September 2014.

The director post was vacant pending a review, which is now complete. “Drury Communications have been engaged on a temporary basis to provide additional support to the marketing and communications team while the university awaits the appointment of a new director,” it said.

When the ‘menstrual cycle’ story first broke, it went viral on social media. Internal communications between staff in NUIG’s communications office reveals their concern that the story had “gotten legs”.

Emails, released under FOI, also show NUIG’s concern that the story had attracted attention from RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland programme, and “strong commentators” such as Róisin Ingle in the Irish Times and Emma O’Kelly, RTÉ’s education correspondent. The press office consulted Drury Communications for advice on how to “approach” the story, emails confirm.