Ruairí Quinn
Question:10 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the full year cost for 1998 of the media monitoring unit within the Government Information Services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1807/99]
Ceisteanna–Questions. - Departmental Staff.
John Bruton
Question:11 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the staffing levels of the media monitoring unit within the Government Information Services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2567/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together.
The current staff in the media monitoring unit within the Government Information Services comprise a manager of the unit, two executive officers, one staff officer and three clerical officers. All of the staff with the exception of the manager and one clerical officer are on secondment from other Departments to work in the unit.
The full year cost of the unit to my Department in 1998 was approximately £72,000. This covers the manager's salary, shift allowances paid to the other staff and other general administrative costs. The salaries of the staff on secondment are paid by their parent Departments and my Department pays the shift allowance, amounting to one sixth of each officer's salary. There are also some overhead costs which are incurred by my Department, such as office maintenance, heating and elec tricity costs. However, these costs cannot be identified separately.
Staff in the unit operate a flexible rota of three working shifts so that 18 hours per day are available to provide a comprehensive information service to the Government, Ministers and their Departments on Government policy initiatives and developments and alert them to problems which may arise.
I understand from the Taoiseach's reply that there is a manager, two executive officers and two clerical officers in the unit. Is that correct?
There is a manager, two executive officers, a staff officer and three clerical officers.
That totals seven, of whom the manager is the only person to be hired from outside. The rest are transferred. Does the cost of £72,000 cover the total salary cost or just the shift allowance cost paid by the Taoiseach's Department?
The salary of the manager and the shift allowances are paid by my Department.
The cost of the unit is, therefore, higher than the figure indicated by the Taoiseach.
It is the cost of the staff. It is not made by my Department.
The Taoiseach said the cost was £72,000. However, it is higher than that because the primary salary is paid by other Departments.
That is what I said.
I am clear about what the Taoiseach said. I asked about the total cost. It is £72,000 plus salaries. What would that additional cost be?
I do not know. It covers two executive officers, a staff officer and three clerical officers.
Perhaps the Taoiseach could give me the information for which I asked or write to me with the total cost, because it depends on the level of increments.
The cost is the cost to my Department.
What is the total cost?
What is the full year cost?
If the Taoiseach wants to play games, we can do so. The Taoiseach prides himself on answering questions and so far he has been good at it. We can get this information under the Freedom of Information Act.
The cost is £141,651.
That is twice the £72,000 mentioned by the Taoiseach earlier. Why was the question answered to give that earlier impression?
It is not an impression. I stated that the full year cost of the unit to my Department was approximately £72,000. It covers the manager's salary, the shift allowances paid to the other staff and other general administrative costs. The salaries of the staff seconded are paid by their parent Departments and my Department pays a shift allowance which amounts to one sixth. I clearly and specifically stated the position; there was no impression given. I ask the Deputy not to play games.
The impression given to someone who glanced at the answer was that it only cost £72,000.
I do not agree with that.
That is the case.
We do not want a debate on the issue.
According to the note, the overall salary cost was £141,651.
Why was the note not put into the body of the reply? The supplementary information is already there. The Government is entitled to have a monitoring unit, which it needs at present.
It saves a great deal of money.
It is cheaper than 15 programme managers.
And less effective.
I would not go down that road.
Deputy Dempsey should ask his erstwhile conditional coalition partner about how happy she feels about the abolition of the office of the Tánaiste now and the ducks and drakes which have been played by Fianna Fáil Ministers. I advise him to concentrate on the environment.
Did the monitoring unit not listen to Radio Kerry and why did the Taoiseach not know this morning when he was asked questions about what Mr. Adams said had transpired at a meeting between them, given that he is the first Taoiseach to have a monitoring unit monitoring Radio Kerry and other radio stations?
That matter does not arise on these questions. I allowed the Deputy latitude on that issue this morning.
I do not wish to be disorderly, but this matter concerns the cost and staffing levels of the monitoring unit. The cost should be value for money. If the monitoring unit does not listen to an important radio station, such as Radio Kerry, when an important participant in the peace process is saying things about the Taoiseach which the Taoiseach says are not true, then perhaps the monitoring unit should be monitored.
Deputy Howlin is of the opinion that there are more staff employed here than at GCHQ. Is the Taoiseach telling the House we get value for money for the work of the director of press clippings and all his staff? How does the Taoiseach believe it is value for money? A reply to an earlier parliamentary question informed us that there are 17 people working in the Taoiseach's public relations unit. That seems excessive.
When the Deputy was in Government, transcripts cost £95,000, tapes cost £10,000 and monitoring cost £15,000, which totals £120,000. Those charges are now gone and the work is being done by these people.
They are additional to other charges.
Those charges are gone. Everyone used to get these matters done by outside companies and paid the private sector.
When civil servants were allowed to do their jobs.
At least the Taoiseach got what he wanted. It was better value.
We must proceed to the next question.
Are Marty Whelan and the lads ever off duty? Do they work 24 hours a day?
They never sleep.