Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 696: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number, rank and pay of all civil servants in her Department and ministerial staff, personally appointed by her or otherwise, who are engaged in media monitoring; the nature of the work done; the persons who the information is circulated to or the people who have access to this information; the cost of this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33506/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 698: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of press officers and press advisers in her Department; the rank and pay of each; the description of work done; the persons to whom the information is circulated or made accessible to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33536/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 700: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of press advisers employed by her Department; the cost of such advice for each year since 1997 to date in 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33566/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 696, 698 and 700 together.

The Press Office in my Department is staffed by the following, all of whom are Civil Servants:

1 Press Officer/Assistant Principal Officer level

2 Higher Executive Officers

2 Executive Officers

1 Clerical Officer

The Press Officer is a full-time civil servant paid at Assistant Principal level. The Press Officer and other staff in the Press Office respond to media queries on behalf of the Minister, Minister of State and my Department generally. They also draft and issue press releases to the media about education initiatives.

There are two Higher Executive Officers and two Executive Officers assigned to the Press Office of my Department. Each of them works from 8am-8pm Monday to Friday on a four week rota basis. Part of the duties of the officer working the 8am shift each morning is to provide a brief one line summary of education related newspaper stories in the national daily papers. This summary is circulated via email to all Senior Management in the Department as well as the Minister, Minister of State and Special Advisor. There is no additional cost of this service as media monitoring is a function of all press offices.

My Department's Press Office is also included in the circulation of material from the Government Information Service Communications Unit on a daily basis. Over the period 1997-2007 a Press Officer has been employed in my Department as follows:

1st January 1997 to 26th June 1997 — Paid at Assistant Principal Officer Level

2nd September 2002 to 29th September 2004 — Paid at Principal Officer Level

8th November 2004 to present — Paid at Assistant Principal Officer Level.

The amount paid in respect of salary for all of the officers in the Press Office is in accordance with the Department of Finance Salary Scales for the relevant grades.