Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 7: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the costs of the Communications Section in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5109/12]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The cost for the communications unit in 2011 was €221,340 with €98,579 being a direct cost to my Department and the balance being paid by three other Departments. The cost for 2011 represents a reduction of 9% on the 2010 cost, a reduction of 16% on the 2009 cost and a reduction of 36% on the 2008 cost. This has been achieved through greater efficiency in the operation of the unit and the application of Government policy on reducing staff numbers.

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.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Taoiseach for the answer. How many people work in the communications unit in total, including the Government information service, the website www.MerrionStreet.ie, the Taoiseach's press office, speechwriters and so on?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The editor of www.MerrionStreet.ie is an assistant principal officer in the Department of the Taoiseach. Two editorial assistants work on the site as well. One is an executive officer recently recruited following an interdepartmental competition. The second is a journalism graduate currently employed on a contract basis. My Department recently advertised this post through the Public Appointments Service on www.publicjobs.ie. Following interviews, the position will be filled at executive officer level with a starting salary of €27,000. Ongoing technical maintenance and support is provided by the information technology unit of the Department of the Taoiseach with support from an external web services company on an as-needs basis.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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If the Taoiseach does not have the answer, perhaps he could send it to me. I am trying to get a sense of the total number of people working in the communications unit.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I believe I have given that to the Deputy. If that is not it, I will provide an update for the Deputy. The editor is an assistant principal officer. Two editorial assistants work on the site as well. One is an executive officer and the second is a journalism graduate. That position has been advertised on www.publicjobs.ie. It will be filled at executive officer level with a starting salary of €27,000. If they need information technology services, they come in on an as-needs basis. If that is not the right number, I will have it communicated to the Deputy.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will move on to question No. 8.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I have one quick question.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is it. The question has been answered. We are only depriving ourselves.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Taoiseach explain why he has kept the unit in existence having spent nine years attacking it?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We have elicited the information.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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He kept calling it a propaganda fiction.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is grand. Thank you.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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He demanded its abolition for nine years.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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There you go.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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It is a fair question.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I spent a few years at that, I must admit.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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This is Question Time. We are eliciting information. That is the whole idea of Question Time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is a fair question. The question sought a report on the costs.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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If you get the information there is no need for a supplementary question.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am curious about why www.MerrionStreet.ie is being used by the Government every day.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Curiosity does not come into it. I am in the Chair trying to give everyone a chance to get their questions answered. There are other questions.

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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We are not into propaganda.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are not into gossip.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is about quality information, not propaganda.

John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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It is not propaganda.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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All changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born.