Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The communications unit takes the daily news from the national broadcasting agencies and presents it to the Departments; Ministers and Ministers of State would then receive that. Individual Ministers look for reports from the unit through their own staff but it has no political purpose. It is not engaged in political activity on any given day. The unit provides information to a huge range of senior departmental officials. No political gain or benefit accrues to a politician from this unit either inside or outside an election period. Individual press offices in the political system gather their own information and notes, but the information gathered by this unit either inside or outside an election period is not of a political nature. There tends to be less activity in a Department during an election period and, therefore, the unit would be less busy because Departments may not seek as much information when the House is in recess. The unit's work at any time is not of a political nature and it is used only by Departments.

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