Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Government Information Service, GIS, has three functions: to provide a press and information service for the Taoiseach as Head of Government and his Department; to deal with press and media issues for the Government as a whole, arising from that as a collective authority; and to co-ordinate the work of departmental media services in the interests of efficiency, such as the provision of Government representatives for media events, where appropriate.

Departmental press officers deal with queries relating to their specific areas of responsibility, but not issues involving interdepartmental responsibilities. The current GIS has grown from the early days when there were only two major national broadsheets and one national broadcaster to today's media involving 24 hour coverage and instant access to information from news wires and websites around the world. Today's information from the Government can be released via paper press releases, e-mails, text messages, podcasts and webcasts, to name some of the new technologies, not that I am familiar with the workings of all of them.

The scheduled visits of the Queen of England and the American President are by two very high profile international figures and there is a cost associated with security, media arrangements and so on. However, as somebody who comes from Daingean Uí Chúis, the Deputy will understand that this is an investment in terms of business and tourism potential, and should be seen as such. We welcome both visitors to our shores and hope that the Irish people will give them a very warm welcome. It is a sign of a country having grown up, on the one hand, while on the other it is a question of looking to the future with an American President who speaks to young people all over the world about hope, liberty and confidence and what it is to be part of a country such as this, facing the challenges we do as part of the international community.

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