Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Given that the communications unit in the Taoiseach's Department is staffed by established civil servants and that it provides a news monitoring service not only to his Department, but to other Ministers and Departments, can it not be arranged that its product, its news monitoring service, should be made available through the Oireachtas Library and for all Members to have equal access to the information it supplies? As the response indicates, substantial public moneys are involved in the provision of this service. Is it not, therefore, appropriate that the communications unit's reportage and updatings should be open to all Members equally so that we would enjoy the same access to information that it provides to the Taoiseach and his colleagues at Cabinet? I think it is appropriate that this should be done. While the Taoiseach has answered in the negative on this matter on many occasions, he has failed on every occasion to explain why it cannot be done. If he will not do it, will the Taoiseach please explain the reason to the House?

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