Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Taoiseach the projected costs to date of the communications unit in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30613/09]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 2: To ask the Taoiseach the projected costs of the communications unit in his Department to date in 2009; his plans to change the role of the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32523/09]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 3: To ask the Taoiseach the cost of the communications unit in his Department from June 2007 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39056/09]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3 together.

The projected cost of the communications unit in 2009 is €257,432, of which €119,270 is a direct cost to my Department while the balance is borne by three other Departments whose staff are seconded to the unit. The cost of the unit from June 2007 to date has been €725,951. The projected cost for 2009 represents a reduction of almost 15% on the 2008 cost, 22.5% on the 2007 cost and almost 30% on the 2006 cost. In fact, it is the lowest cost since 2003.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Why is it necessary to second staff from other Departments? Which Departments are involved? I was not aware that staff from other Departments were seconded to the communications unit.

From statements made by the Taoiseach's predecessor on several occasions, my understanding of this unit was that individual Departments were obliged to take cuttings of newspapers and news items relevant to each Department and Minister, for example, the Ministers for Transport or Education and Science. For example, I understood the latter Department not to have a paper cutting service to supply the Minister, Deputy O'Keeffe, every morning because the communications unit in the Department of the Taoiseach was to do all of that. Last year I asked this question because it was evident what was going on. Is it still the case this service is provided in the communications unit and there are no paper-cutting services in other Departments?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I answered this on several occasions. The Deputy appears to have a continuing fixation about it. A review was undertaken to see how we might provide this service most effectively. It is being provided at a lesser cost on a continuous basis as a result of the need to be mindful of expenditure in this or any other Departmental area at this time. Individual Ministers also have their own communication service. The public interacts with agencies and bodies and non-governmental organisations. A whole range of people engage daily with Departments on an ongoing basis. That service must be provided in the public interest of providing accurate information and ensuring people have a service to deal with their inquiries.

On a number of occasions, I referred to various replies I have given on this matter. They confirm that, on review, the present arrangements are the most cost effective and it would not be possible to provide the service in any other way.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Which other Departments are represented on the staff of the communications unit in the Taoiseach's Department? There is a cost of €119,000 directly to the Department of the Taoiseach from a sum of €257,000, as the Taoiseach mentioned. Am I to take it there are no separate paper-cutting communications units in the Departments of Transport, Education and Science and all others? I understand the purpose of this unit was to eliminate duplication and overlapping and save the taxpayer money. Is it the case that the two Ministers present, Deputies Noel Dempsey and Batt O'Keeffe, do not have paper cutting services and communications units in their Departments because the Taoiseach has a service that supplies the rest of the Government?

In what form is that information sent to other Departments? Is it by e-mail or in hard copy delivered to other Ministers' offices for dispensation to heads of sections? Does the communications unit listen to radio stations and go through the newspapers every day, taking out relevant information for different Ministers and dispensing it in hard copy? I am trying to be helpful. The Taoiseach does not want an entire body of public servants cutting up papers and transferring them to different Departments if there is one section in his Department that does it for all others. That is what I would like to know.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I can have the details on individual staff costs, and so on sent to the Deputy. The overall objective is to ensure that all parts of Government are aware of key issues across a wide range of media outlets. The media, the Opposition and the citizens expect Ministers and officials to be fully up to date on such issues so that they can respond to them. The situation was assessed by a panel of officials including managers from the Government Information Service, GIS, and the Department's head of information technology. I understand that when a formal tender process was made the bids were in excess of the costs at which we provide the service at present. The present cost of the unit as provided by staff is much cheaper than it would be if done any other way. The unit has a small number of staff and uses cheap but effective technology in addition to the e-mail network for dissemination. The alternative would be to decentralise the function in full to individual Departments. It is clear that this would involve far more duplication, as people across all Departments would have to do what is currently done centrally. The alternative of doing everything centrally is not realistic, given the ongoing need for monitoring items of particular interest in each Department. It cannot be a question of total centralisation or total decentralisation.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Why was it necessary to second staff from other Departments into this unit? It has a small staff and has a specific job. What Departments are represented? Was there a purpose for seconding staff or was it just a matter of finding a job for somebody?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It was a question of putting the team together. We can arrange to get that detail to the Deputy in terms of its cost, etc.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Taoiseach.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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As the Taoiseach stated, we have had questions on the Government's listening post a number of times. The unit listens to the radio, reads the newspapers, takes clippings and cuttings and keeps an eye on what kind of coverage the Government is getting. I was surprised that it did not seem to cross Colm McCarthy's path when he was examining the public service. I could not see a reference to it in the McCarthy report. Would the Taoiseach regard the communications unit as an essential service of Government?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Regarding Mr. McCarthy's committee, he identified €5.4 billion in areas he considered could be modified, eliminated, cutback or whatever out of a total spend - he only dealt with the current programme - of €57 billion. This is an indication that not everything that is being done is something that needs to be changed. Some 90% of what has been looked at throughout all of the programmes were not included for recommendation in the McCarthy report, which puts some perspective on the promulgation of the idea that everything is unnecessary and can be simply washed away, in fairness to the people who work in the service.

Regarding the question, it is important that we have a communications unit that is in a position to provide accurate, up-to-date information from a series of requests, including from Members of this House and elsewhere. The ability to respond effectively and accurately is a particular responsibility of Government and is not one about which the Opposition must care too often.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Taoiseach did not answer my question on whether he considers the unit to be an essential service of Government. Would he be satisfied to have it used as a benchmark for assessing whether particular services should be discontinued or downsized? For example, we often hear that the Government is contemplating the implementation of at least some of the McCarthy report recommendations and some downsizing or rationalising of the various services provided through Departments. Would the Taoiseach be satisfied to state that the communications unit is not included in the report, is an essential service of Government and should be the measure for all of those services identified by the McCarthy report as suitable for cutbacks?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I do not think that one could measure everything against the communications unit and suggest that it is the benchmark for all Government activity. That would be absurd. There are four staff members in the unit. It is not a major part of the operation. There are two executive officers, one staff officer and a clerical officer. There are also two vacancies I have not filled. I am aware of the need for this work. It is necessary in terms of co-ordinating and getting Departments and people on the outside to know exactly what is the position on various issues.

On the question of putting it out for tender, I authorised a review of the unit independently of the McCarthy deliberations. I did not have to wait for anybody to ask me. I did that because I wanted to see what was the position. When one asked people to tender, the lowest tender was far in excess of what it cost to do the job inside. That should be a good indication of value for money and perhaps an indication that it is being done in as cost-effective a way as possible, that if one were to get others to do it and release these staff for other work, one would, in fact, impose a greater burden on the taxpayer.

I think everyone would agree. Deputy Gilmore would have a press liaison function for his party and for his own business. He could not do his job without it. It is an essential part of his operation. In the same way, there is a need for Government to have a communications unit.