Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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280. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 92 of 11 June 2014, and in view of his admission that Inland Fisheries Ireland is not in a position to edit or control the content of direct posts to its Facebook page, if in his view the hosting of such posts on the IFI Facebook page has exposed his Department and the State to undue legal and financial risk, having regard to the intemperate and potentially defamatory nature of much of the material displayed. [28332/14]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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281. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that the hosting by Inland Fisheries Ireland of directs posts, created by staff members of IFI and containing comments regarding issues in respect of which IFI has a statutory function, is in accordance with the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office legislation; his views that this practice by IFI and its employees has gone some way towards undermining their public standing and by extension the standing of his Department and himself; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28333/14]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 281 together.

I refer the Deputy to the reply provided to Question No. 92 of 11 June 2014. The position remains as set out in that reply. IFI has a remit, interalia, to promote inland fisheries. IFI, in common with a range of State Agencies and other organisations, participates in social media in order to engage individuals and organisations in its core business areas. IFI posts on its Facebook page news and information on events and developments of interest to anglers and other stakeholders. It also posts commentary from Regional and National media on matters of interest.

I am advised that IFI have over 4,900 'Likes' on their Facebook page each of which, in accordance with the manner in which social media works, then becomes a potential gateway to the Facebook page of the individual or organisation which posted the 'Like' in the first instance. IFI or indeed any public body is not in a position to edit or control the content of these external Facebook pages and cannot take responsibility for the content of private social media pages.

I would like to refer the Deputy to the IFI Facebook Comment Policy and confirm that all posts on the IFI Facebook page are in accordance with this policy. I am advised that IFI would welcome the opportunity to discuss any specific issues directly with the Deputy.