Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 10: To ask the Taoiseach the projected costs in 2005 of the communications unit in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34097/04]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The projected total cost of the communications unit for 2005 is €319,934. Some €129,250 is a direct cost to my Department with on average €38,137 being borne by the five other Departments, which have staff seconded to the unit. The cost for the unit in 2004 was €300,277.

The unit provides a media information service to Ministers and their Departments. It furnishes news updates and transcripts, which ensure that Departments are kept informed in a fast and efficient manner of any relevant news developments. In this way, Departments are able to provide a better service to the public. Staff in the communications unit work an 18-hour day based on a flexible rota of three working shifts. The unit is staffed by six established civil servants, five of whom are seconded from other Departments. The work of the unit means that Departments have greatly reduced their use of external companies and ensure they no longer duplicate work such as transcripts and tapes. The communications unit is estimated to save Departments in excess of €200,000 per annum.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I note a reduction in the number of PR people available to Departments in recent days. In 1999 the Office of the Information Commissioner upheld a refusal by the Department of the Taoiseach to release some records sought under the Freedom of Information Act. In making that finding the commissioner said the requested records were created by the communications unit for the Taoiseach in his capacity as a member of a political party and not in his role as head of Government. He found that the records were partly political in nature and were concerned with the public's perception of members of the Government in their party political roles. If that is the case in respect of some elements of what is produced in the communications unit, how can the Taoiseach justify the use of public servants, who are paid from the public purse, to do work that the information commissioner deems to be partly political and to be relevant to the Taoiseach as a member of a political party, as distinct from the Head of Government? Perhaps the Taoiseach would like to comment on that.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Kenny is correct to state that a ruling was made at that time based on a report that had been given to me at that stage. The document had been prepared by an advisor. When that person left, we immediately ceased the presentation of the report in that form, on the ruling of the then information commissioner. We ceased the use of the person who was there and we did not fill the individual post at that stage. We took corrective action based on the report and never produced reports again. That was the right decision to make.