Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 1

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff.

Phil Hogan

Question:

65 Mr. Hogan asked the Taoiseach the number of staff employed in the communications unit in his Department in each year since June 1997; the financial outlay in each case; the precise work of the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8280/01]

The Taoiseach

The number of staff employed in the communications unit in my Department, according to records available for each of the years from 1997 to date, is as follows:

Numbers

November1997	July1998	July1999	August2000	March2001
Manager 1(Contract)	Manager 1(Contract)	Manager 1(Contract)	Vacancy	Vacancy
		HEO 1
ExecutiveOfficer 4	EO 3	EO 1	EO 1	EO 2
			SO 1	SO 2
ClericalOfficer 2	CO 2	CO 3	CO 3	CO 3

Cost to this Department

1997	1998	1999	2000	2001to date
£16,648*	£58,787	£63,826	£33,273	£1,763

*The unit was only operational for part of the year.

The salaries of the staff in the communications unit who are seconded to this Department are paid by their parent Departments. This Department pays a shift allowance amounting to one sixth of salary which is paid on a recoupment basis in arrears in accordance as invoices are received. The unit is staffed from 6 a.m. until 11.30 p.m. on a three shift rota basis.

The communications unit provides a comprehensive information service for Government Ministers and their Departments on Government policy initiatives and developments, and alerts them to any problems which may arise in relation to their implementation. In this way, Departments are able to provide a better service for the public.

The work of the communications unit reduces the need to use outside media monitoring services and for Departments to duplicate work such as transcripts and tapes. While it is difficult to put an exact figure on the savings accruing to Government Departments because the cost of each transcript varies, depending on length and time, it is conservatively estimated that in a full year the communications unit would save Government Departments something in the region of £110,000 – £120,000 in total.