Can we take out an ad? Magazine that gave Eir award just won’t answer
A MAGAZINE at the centre of the Eir money-for-awards controversy was strangely unavailable all this week to take an ad from the Irish Mail on Sunday.
The apparent reluctance to take our ad – despite numerous attempts during the week and one last, desperate, text yesterday – is strange as the company behind Public Sector Magazine has been very successful in booking ads from a wide variety of top Irish organisations.
The MoS has confirmed that RTÉ News agreed to pay the magazine almost €2,000 for a promotional feature after the publication informed the broadcaster it had been given an award.
The publishers of Public Sector Magazine found themselves in the spotlight this week after it emerged they had given their ‘best customer service award’ to Eir.
But repeated attempts by the MoS
The business address appears to be derelict
to contact JP Devlin Media, publishers of the magazine, proved fruitless, as did a visit to the Clontarf address listed on Companies Registration Office documentation. This seemingly empty building has appeared in three separate pictures since May 2021 - including on Google maps - with its shutters down and apparently derelict.
Tommy Quinn and John Hogan, directors of JP Devlin Media which has operated the magazine and other publications for two decades, did not answer emails.
In fact, the only comment from the publication this week came from London-Irish public relations firm Powerscourt, which fired off an indignant defence of the magazine and its awards scheme to RTÉ’s Liveline. Powerscourt also provides PR for Eir.
Paul Halley, senior sales executive at JP Devlin Media, also appeared to have his phone turned off this week. Trish Phelan, who is credited with being the editor of the magazine, did not return calls.
And when the MoS visited the company’s address, grandly listed as Charlemont Hall at Charlemont Lane in Clontarf, it found a graffiticovered outbuilding with closed shutters. A local man walking his dog nearby told us he has never seen anyone at the premises.
Other titles JP Devlin Media publishes include Spirit Of Ireland, which targets the Irish-American community, Ireland China Business News, and Taxi News.
Each edition appears packed with ads from businesses, organisations and local authorities.
Fianna Fáil senator and former TD for Meath West Shane Cassells is a former journalist with the publishing group. He too did not return our calls this weekend.
‘RTÉ agreed to pay €1,995 for an ad in awards issue’
News of Eir’s Public Sector Magazine award sparked controversy as the company was rated last year as having the worst customer service out of 151 companies. It later transpired Eir paid €2,000 for an ad ‘to cover costs’ for the magazine.
Dozens of other companies and State organisations, including the Department of Justice, have advertised with the publication.
The magazine also approached charities seeking money for awards. Alice Leahy of the Alice Leahy Trust homelessness charity told RTÉ her organisation was offered an award but that an ad was required to help pay for the cost. The charity did not take out the ad. The MoS has confirmed RTÉ itself agreed to pay €1,995 to the publication for a feature on being told it had won an award.
A spokesman for the broadcaster confirmed, ‘RTÉ was informed in October 2021 that it was being presented with an award from Irish Public Sector Magazine for the “unparalleled work of RTÉ News in the delivery of vital information to the Irish public on a daily basis during the pandemic”.
‘In place of a physical awards event, RTÉ was offered a “threepage total feature in the awards issue for €1,995 to purely cover the circulation, design and feature costs”. As RTÉ was running a marketing campaign to support RTÉ News at the time, the cost of the ad was included as part of this campaign. RTÉ agreed the payment last October and is awaiting invoicing.’