Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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267. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he, his officials or advisers have had meetings with the strategic communication unit since it was set up; the issues that were discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6526/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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My Department was established on 19 July 2017, to deliver on the Government’s commitment to bring a greater degree of co-ordination and cohesion to all of the work of Government in so far as it impacts on rural Ireland and communities.

The Department of An Taoiseach Strategic Communications Unit (SCU), was established in 2017, to inter alia, bring about a more co-ordinated, cross-Government, approach to communicating and branding Government services and programmes. It has been tasked by Government to implement the following key actions:

- Roll-out of a single unified Government of Ireland identity programme;

- Migration of Government Department websites to a new single Government portal;

- Commencement of a Government wide capacity building professional development programme for officials working in communications;

- A number of proposed cross-Government priority campaigns (which includes a Rural and a Library campaign in respect of my Department);

The inaugural meeting of the Assistant Secretary Delivery Team was held on 8 November 2017, a further meeting was held on 14 December 2017. A third meeting is taking place on 8 February 2018. My Department is represented at this forum and, in addition, is represented on the SCU Project Owners group which is managing the transition to the shared Government ICT platform, GOV.IE .