Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 5: To ask the Taoiseach the total costs to date of the communications unit in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16799/07]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 6: To ask the Taoiseach the function of the communications unit in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18778/07]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 7: To ask the Taoiseach the staffing level of the communications unit within his Department; the estimated annual cost for 2007; if changes are planned to the communications unit following the general election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20151/07]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 7, inclusive, together.

The total costs incurred by the communications unit to date in 2007 are €280,143 with €130,228 being a direct cost to my Department and €29,983 on average being borne by the five other Departments who have staff seconded to the unit. The estimated annual cost for the communications unit in 2007 is €373,524.

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.

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 that they no longer duplicate work such as transcripts and tapes. There are no plans to change the role or function of the communications unit.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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What was the role and function of the communications unit during the period of the general election? Was it still reporting to Cabinet Ministers who were doing other duties? Did the Department of the Taoiseach incur charges for that? Does the communications unit have a role in reporting to Ministers on the proceedings of the Mahon tribunal? Have changes occurred in the political advisers appointed to the Department of the Taoiseach and have other Ministers appointed political advisers? Does the Progressive Democrats Party have an input to the communications unit or does this party receive information in the same way as everybody else?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The communications unit is run by the Civil Service according to Civil Service standards and protocol. There was no change in the role of the communications unit during the election period. When the election campaign was referred to across the range of news programmes that are monitored, the unit, keeping within its role, did not monitor media coverage of a political nature and did not include details of such content in its daily reports. The unit is not allowed to do that.

In order to provide guidance and clarity for staff during the election period, guidelines were drawn up to assist them in their work. The guidelines clearly outlined and reinforced the unit's non-political nature. The unit was absolutely apolitical, as only civil servants can be.

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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The weather forecast.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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They do not do the weather forecast. I have not answered all Deputy Kenny's questions. A number of staff changes have occurred in the communications unit. The Progressive Democrats Party still has the same programme manager. Obviously the Green Party-Comhaontas Glas, has its own staff. From my office, one person has left and one has retired.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Gilmore.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I had no issue with the Ceann Comhairle introducing Deputy Gilmore, on his first day as Leader, before me, but the pattern in the Chamber is that a Member is called always in the order in which the questions appear. I did not make an issue of it, but I do not want to see a precedent established.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Ó Caoláin may ask his question.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I appreciate that. I mean no disrespect to Deputy Gilmore or anybody else whom the Chair may call, but there is a precedent. It is bad enough, with the Taoiseach's efforts, coming in almost like the runt of the litter. I would appreciate the opportunity to get the chance to take questions in the order in which they were tabled.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Draw from the best pup.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach has told us the communications unit furnishes news updates and media coverage. Does the unit also track the coverage of particular stories? Does it track and report on trends or on the attitudes and disposition of journalists or the media organs for which they work? Has it kept the Taoiseach informed of the general disposition towards him and his party of Independent News & Media? As I mention Independent News & Media, I record my strong disagreement with the Ceann Comhairle's decision not to accept a question from me about the meeting the Taoiseach had or may have had with representatives of that company in the mouth of the general election some months ago.

Is the communications unit involved in tracking particular coverage or advising of the disposition of media entities, whether broadcast or print? What advice does the unit give the Taoiseach and how does he respond to such advice? Was this why he met with representatives of Independent News & Media and, perhaps, Mr. Tony O'Reilly?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The communications unit is staffed and run to Civil Service standards. The information it documents is provided to several hundred people in Departments, merely giving the headlines of the hour or the day and, where necessary, giving transcripts to Departments. Previously, Departments used to source and purchase this information from outside companies, with several Departments sourcing the same information from the same or different companies at great cost to the State. The unit is not engaged in monitoring of stories. It provides the news stories or headlines of the day to Departments to make press officers and key individuals in Departments, who serve the public, aware of current issues. It has no connection with the political system. Neither is it connected with the Government Information Service, unless to provide information for the GIS, which provides a service to the Government. The officials of the unit do their job as civil servants. They rotate within and between various Departments. The unit does not and has never had a function of the kind described by the Deputy.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I heard the Taoiseach reply that the communications unit is a normal Civil Service section within his Department. Can he describe the reporting relationship of the unit? To whom does the unit report within the Department and how are directions given to the unit?

If the work of the communications unit is purely non-political, could the briefing material it prepares, which I presume is communicated electronically, be made available to Opposition parties?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I have heard this suggestion several times. Information available to Ministers and heads of Departments is not made available to Opposition Deputies or, for that matter, Government Deputies.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Why not, if it is not political?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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All non-political data could not be made available across Departments. The Deputy cannot be serious.

The officials of the communications unit are part of the Civil Service structure and are answerable in the normal course to the Secretary General of the Department. They work on a strictly non-political basis. The unit deals only with the Government Press Office and with press officers in the various Departments on matters of a non-political nature. The officials are subject to all the conventions which apply to civil servants regarding political impartiality. The unit covers those conventions, probably more scrupulously than any other area of the Civil Service, because it deals with media issues.

The data prepared by the unit is made available. The information provided is simply a synopsis of daily news bulletins and news stories from radio stations. It can save a substantial amount of money when, for example, interviews are being checked. That is its benefit. It can provide information quickly to Departments so they can deal with issues, whether a news story is a good or tragic one. The unit keeps the entire system up to date on what is happening outside. Civil servants at all levels receive information and can act on it. Were it not for the unit, civil servants might not be aware of what is happening outside their Departments in the course of a normal day.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Who decides what is political and what is not, for example in radio programmes?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The unit takes the headlines of the day as they are. If an item has a political twist the unit is not allowed take it. Such an item must be dropped.