Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I echo many of the concerns raised in the Sunday Business Postby Hugh O'Connell last weekend which demonstrate, despite his protestations to the contrary, the Taoiseach's deep involvement with the strategic communications unit. In fact he is giving direction, as I would interpret it, in terms of its operation. Deputy Micheál Martin has mentioned the publicity for the child care subsidy scheme and the fact it was to be seen as an initiative of the Government or the Taoiseach rather than of the Department. An instruction was given that the publicity campaign would be run throughout the month of August which suggests a very deep involvement and not an arms' length or hands off approach at all. We discussed this yesterday and it is very clear to me that the strategic communications unit needs to go. I do not accept that what the Taoiseach has set up is an independent or credible review process. I say that while acknowledging the very many talents and capabilities of the Secretary General of the Taoiseach's Department. I have never made an issue of that but I think that the Taoiseach has put him in a terribly difficult position.

On another note, I found a supplement that came with the Irish Independenttoday of interest. It features no less than 12 photographs of Senator Mark Daly of Fianna Fáil. The supplement was produced by the Thomas F. Meagher Foundation. Mr. Meagher was a good Tipperary man. It says that it was produced "in association" with the Office of the Ceann Comhairle. I do not wish to draw the Ceann Comhairle into controversy but I would like to know if public moneys have been invested in the production of this supplement. The Ceann Comhairle himself features in it-----

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