Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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91. To ask the Taoiseach the number of meetings the strategic communications unit has had regarding planning for the forthcoming national development plan; and the persons with whom the meetings were held. [6687/18]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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92. To ask the Taoiseach the number of tenders the strategic communications unit is processing. [6688/18]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 92 together.

Staff in the Strategic Communications Unit in my Department have had several meetings with senior officials in the relevant Departments across Government to coordinate a comprehensive public information campaign for Project Ireland 2040 - the National Development Plan and the National Planning Framework. As with all cross-Government campaigns, the overall objective is to inform citizens of the programme of integrated investments - economic, social, infrastructural and environmental - that will impact on their lives in the coming years, in an easily accessible way.

The Strategic Communications Unit is not processing any tenders currently. However, contracts have been awarded to the following companies:

Procurement for these contracts took place centrally for priority cross-government campaigns, which means that government departments can avail of a central source, rather than issuing separate tenders, which in turn improves efficiency and saves money.

These contracts were procured in accordance with standard public procurement rules through the Office of Government Procurement.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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93. To ask the Taoiseach the staffing make-up of the strategic communications unit within his Department as at 31 January 2018; the amount spent on the unit since June 2017; and the details of all moneys spent to date. [6739/18]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As at 31 January 2018, there were fifteen staff working in the Strategic Communications Unit, the breakdown of which is set out in the following table.

The salaries of the staff in the Strategic Communications Unit are met from my Department's administrative salary budget. Details of non-pay expenditure in 2017 and up to 9th February in 2018 in respect of the Strategic Communications Unit are set out in the following table.