Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

There are Departments which use external media monitoring services for newspapers and specialist magazines dealing with their particular areas of activity. They use these services for media notifications specific to their Departments. External services are sometimes used for the provision of transcripts where these cannot be obtained from the communications unit because of time constraints and in instances of high demand. The communications unit furnishes news updates and transcripts from the national media only, which ensure that Departments are kept informed of relevant news developments in a fast and efficient manner. The unit does not have the capacity or resources to provide regional news items and press cuttings, however, to individual Departments.

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