Michael Smith
Question:14 Mr. M. Smith asked the Minister for the Marine the number of persons who have been directed to attend to public relations and press-related matters in his Department. [3847/97]
Priority Questions. - Public Relations Functions.
The media and information function is discharged by the press officer in my Department. She is assisted by two full-time clerical staff and one part-time worker.
The media and information unit of the Department is an important aid to all the operations of the Department and its clients. Modern organisations must communicate effectively; their clients expect it and are entitled to it. The functions of the unit include assisting the general public in obtaining information about the Department, its activities and schemes operated by it; assisting the media through the timely provision of relevant and accurate information and assisting the Department's managers and Ministers in publicity campaigns which might be launched from time to time. Of particular importance is the promotion of the Department's policies and messages aimed at protecting life at sea; publication of concise and relevant information about the Department and disseminating it to targeted audiences.
In addition to the staff of the media unit, other members of the staff of the Department assist from time to time in public relations and press matters. In addition to direct departmental involvement in media matters, Heneghans PR Consultants are also retained under contract by the Departments of the Marine and Defence to advise on media/information matters.
I tabled this question because the information available to me is that there could be as many as seven civil servants involved in press-related and public relations matters in the Department. The taxpayers' money used by this Government to fund public relations programmes has exceeded by millions of pounds even the worst atrocities of its predecessors. If there are seven people involved in public relations matters in the Department, it is taking public relations to an extreme position and ultimately means that public relations is taking over from real action.
I do not understand the Deputy. I have just read the reply in which it states that we have one press officer in the Department. Who said there were seven people dealing with public relations in the Department? I assure the Deputy I am not following the example of my predecessors in office in terms of engaging in massive PR programmes.