Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 944: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number, rank and pay of all civil servants in his Department and ministerial staff, personally appointed by him 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 he will make a statement on the matter. [33508/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 946: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of press officers and press advisers in his Department; the rank and pay of each; the description of work done; the persons to whom the information is circulated or made accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33538/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 948: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of press advisers employed by his Department; the cost of such advice for each year since 1997 to date in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33568/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 953: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department receives a daily summary of stories relevant to his Department from Government Information Services; if this summary is in written, verbal or electronic format; if these are furnished to a departmental press officer or press adviser; and if the press officer or adviser furnishes this information to him every day or how often it is furnished. [33643/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 954: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if a press adviser travels with him on official visits; and if there were official visits attended by him in the past year at which a press adviser was not present or was not in contact with him. [33658/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 957: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department carries news summaries on its internal web; the persons who have access to such information; the way they access same; the person who compiles same; the cost of same; the regularity with which this information is updated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33718/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 944, 946, 948, 953, 954 and 957 together.

In line with Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997 governing the appointment and role of Special Advisers, I have appointed an Adviser as Press and Information Officer in my Department. The Officer is employed at Principal Officer level and receives a salary of €93,363 gross per annum. The role of the Officer includes:

Departmental Press and Information Officer, including provision and oversight of press information and liaison for Minister and Ministers of State;

liaison, on Ministers' behalf, with Government Press Office;

liaison, on Ministers' behalf, with the Deputy Government Press Secretary;

adviser on external communications and publicity on behalf of the Ministers and the Department.

The Press and Information Officer is supported in his role by three civil servants — one Higher Executive Officer, one Executive Officer and one Clerical Officer.

Summaries of breaking news stories are provided to the Department's Press Office electronically throughout the day by the Government Information Service. I am alerted, as necessary, in relation to any items of relevance to my Department.

As part of the work undertaken in the Press Office, a daily news cuttings service is made available to all staff. This service is provided by the Press Office and is accessible to all staff via the Department's intranet. The cost of the licence to provide the service is just under €1300 (incl. VAT) per annum. In addition, regional cuttings are provided on a weekly basis by News Access Ltd. These are circulated to the Department's senior management team, the Minister's and the Ministers of State's Offices. The cost of the service is €175/week (excl. VAT).

The Press and Information Officer or one of the civil servants supporting the Officer usually accompanies the Minister on official visits. It is normal practice for a member of the Press Office to maintain contact with the Minister as necessary throughout the day.

A Press and Information Officer has been appointed as Special Adviser within the Department since June 2002 at Principal Officer level. Between 1997 and 2002 the Press and Information Officer function was undertaken by a civil servant employed at Assistant Principal Officer level within the Department. In addition, a Communications Coordinator was appointed as Special Adviser to the Minister from October 1999 to June 2002 at Assistant Principal Officer level.