Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Whatever the existing arrangements, the proposed new arrangement was not going to be less costly than the existing arrangement. There may be some Departments using outside media press cutting arrangements but I do not have that information available to me, although that may be the case. I am not saying it is all in-house but rather that the suggested alternative which might have been regarded as providing cost savings, on examination does not do so and therefore was not proceeded with on that basis. However, every area of expenditure must be examined for cost-effectiveness.

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