Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The communications unit is run by the Civil Service according to Civil Service standards and protocol. There was no change in the role of the communications unit during the election period. When the election campaign was referred to across the range of news programmes that are monitored, the unit, keeping within its role, did not monitor media coverage of a political nature and did not include details of such content in its daily reports. The unit is not allowed to do that.

In order to provide guidance and clarity for staff during the election period, guidelines were drawn up to assist them in their work. The guidelines clearly outlined and reinforced the unit's non-political nature. The unit was absolutely apolitical, as only civil servants can be.

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