Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raised some questions about what was going on. I respect that the Taoiseach was willing to respond to those along with the other Independent Ministers, Deputies Naughten and Ross.

As the Deputy is aware, in respect of the changes we were introducing last September to provide parents and their families and children with significant additional supports, it was very important for us to communicate and provide information on how these changes would happen for families and the providers. The Department developed a campaign for that. We did that during the summer and it was effectively a time in the early period of the strategic communications unit. It had not been fully established and could not work with us to communicate the information. I had exchanges with the Taoiseach on that, and I was very clear that we would be able to conduct the campaign ourselves.

It is very important that the departmental officials work with the communications unit in the Department of the Taoiseach and provide their experience and expertise in the communication of our programmes. We intend to do that through government.ieand with additional types of communication. If there are any changes, the people with the experience and expertise will inform and be close to the ways of communicating what we need to do.