Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

It is PAC32-I-810. The reply reads:

By way of background, Government decided on 6^thSeptember 2017, to establish the Strategic Communications Unit (SCU). Subsequently, a meeting was held at official level in my Department ... The business case fully reflected Government policy ...

According to this, an amount of €5 million was sought. Given that the Government wanted to establish this unit, was it ever in doubt that it would be established once the request was made? It looks like the decision had been made. What supported it? Was there a SWOT analysis? In terms of communications, there was a spend of €178 million per annum across Departments and agencies as well as 700 people working in-house, 388 external contracts, 452 websites and 220 paid communication campaigns. There was a lot happening. According to the business case, savings would be made, but nothing before us demonstrates how that money would be saved by setting up this unit. That was one of the stated objectives. Perhaps Mr. Fraser will talk us through it.