Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I note a reduction in the number of PR people available to Departments in recent days. In 1999 the Office of the Information Commissioner upheld a refusal by the Department of the Taoiseach to release some records sought under the Freedom of Information Act. In making that finding the commissioner said the requested records were created by the communications unit for the Taoiseach in his capacity as a member of a political party and not in his role as head of Government. He found that the records were partly political in nature and were concerned with the public's perception of members of the Government in their party political roles. If that is the case in respect of some elements of what is produced in the communications unit, how can the Taoiseach justify the use of public servants, who are paid from the public purse, to do work that the information commissioner deems to be partly political and to be relevant to the Taoiseach as a member of a political party, as distinct from the Head of Government? Perhaps the Taoiseach would like to comment on that.

See this speech in context