Vol. 495 No. 1
364 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform whether the press office at his Department has been releasing press statements as a matter of course to all relevant media, including Garda News and Garda Review, and Opposition parties since he took office 15 months ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19416/98]
All national media organisations have been issued with the press statements released by my Department's press office since I took office in June 1997. In the case of the two magazines referred to by the Deputy, the practice up to the bargaining of this year or thereabouts was not to issue them with all press statements. However, since that time, they are issued with all relevant press statements.
In keeping with the practice of my predecessors in office, Opposition parties are not issued with press releases as a matter of course. Should any political party or individual Member of the Oireachtas request a particular press statement, my Department's press office is, of course, glad to facilitate them.
