Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of staff employed in her Department's press office; if he will outline the role and function of her Department's press office and its relationship with his own press office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38873/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Social and Family Affairs has one Press Office which is staffed by three established civil servants:

Press Officer (Assistant Principal on secondment from another Government Department),

Press Officer (Higher Executive Officer) and

Deputy Press Officer (Executive Officer).

The role of the Press Office is to deal centrally with all queries from the media in relation to the schemes operated by the Department. The press officers respond to queries from social affairs correspondents, political correspondents and general news media. They also deal with requests for interviews with me as Minister and, as the need arises, with relevant senior officials. They draft and issue press releases to regional and national media on various initiatives which aim to inform the wider public of developments across the Department. The press officers also advise me and senior officials across the Department of developments in the media regarding the functions of the Department.