Vol. 561 No. 2
177 Ms Harkin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number and cost of personnel involved in her Department in media, media marketing and public relations activities, including external public relations and media monitoring services in the periods 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001, 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002, and 1 January 2003 to date. [3994/03]
Media and public relations activities are handled by two sections of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The sections concerned are the press and publicity office and the information and organisation resource unit. The press and publicity office is a front line office communicating with the media about public affairs of the Department. It issues speeches and press releases as well as organising press conferences and photocalls. Five staff have been employed in the press and publicity office from 1 January 2001 to date.
The role of the information and organisation resource unit involves providing general information on the Department's activities to the public to ensure quality customer service provision to customers, administering the Department's advertising budget and also providing an information and publications service across the Department.
Twelve staff have been employed in the information resource unit from January 1 2001 to date. There have been occasional staff changes and vacancies in the unit during that period, but it now has a full staff complement. The total salary costs for both sections from 1 January 2001 to date are set out in the following table:
|
Section |
2001€ |
2002€ |
2003 to date€ |
|
Press and publicity office |
178,274.57 |
187,854.78 |
28,175.71 |
|
Information and organisation resource unit |
459,201.53 |
379,819.72 |
64,188.20 |
