Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 158: To ask the Taoiseach the role of the Government Press Office; the number of staff employed therein; the grade and salary of these staff; if he will clarify the relationship between the Government Press Office and individual Department press offices and individual Ministers' press officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38464/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Government Press Office (GPO) provides an information service in relation to Government policy through the national and international media. It has no direct operational control or responsibility in relation to various Departmental Press Offices. It does however carry out a coordination function to ensure an appropriate dissemination of information across all Departments.

Departmental Press Offices provide a similar function to that of the GPO on behalf of their own Departments.

A total of 8 staff work in the Government Press Office based in my Department. The staff are: the Government Press Secretary, two Deputy Government Press Secretaries, three Press Officers and two Clerical Officers.

The grades and salaries of GPO staff are listed in the following table.