Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason her Department's website press area is not regularly updated on all topics; her views on the lack of press statements on all areas of interest on daily health topics; her further views on the fact that not one press statement was released from 12 September to 6 October 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42981/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Press releases are issued primarily in conjunction with the announcement of major policy initiatives and significant service developments. The corresponding press releases are made available on my Department's website immediately following such announcements. To date in 2006, one hundred and thirty press releases and thirty four speeches have been made available in the press area of my Department's website. In addition, seventy two press releases have been published on the website of the Office of the Minister for Children, including seven press releases during the specific period referred to in the Deputy's question. During this period, I personally addressed the media on eight separate occasions at various public engagements.

The press area of the website is just one source of information on health issues available to the media or the public. General information on the broad range of health services, information on current health policy issues and details of legislation since 1997 are available in other areas of the website. Thirty three publications have also been uploaded to the website to date in 2006. The websites are updated regularly. The Deputy may wish to note that the Health Service Executive also issues press statements in regard to national and local health service issues. These statements are made available on the Executive's website (www.hse.ie) on a regular basis.