Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will not make an allegation. Is the unit being used to promote a particular party rather than the good of the public? The matter needs to be investigated. I agree with Deputy Cullinane that the Secretary General should be invited to come before this committee, and the Taoiseach. Perhaps there is no precedent for a Taoiseach to attend a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts. At least the Secretary General of the Department and the head of the strategic communications unit should be invited to attend. The unit was set up last August, it costs €5 million per annum and the unit consists of 11 personnel. The Brexit unit only has half that amount of staff even though it is more important to this country. Is the unit value for money? Has taxpayers' money been wasted? Is taxpayers' money being used appropriately?