Taoiseach Brian Cowen today rejected the suggestion that the Government's use of an in-house communications unit which is used for media monitoring ”is a waste of money”.
Speaking during Leaders' Questions in the Dáil, the Taoiseach said that the communications unit which is based in his department, was involved in taking press cuttings but said that it "was a small part of their work" and added that "it does a lot more work than just that".
Mr Cowen was responding to questions from Opposition leaders about the in-house service which is expected to be outsourced as part of a cost-cutting plan.
Leader of the Labour Party, Eamon Gilmore described the communications unit as " a waste of money." Fine Gael's leader Enda Kenny questioned why it was necessary to have civil servants spending time "cutting out, photocopying and pasting information from newsapers for presentation to ministers”.
The Taoiseach said the media monitoring service, which costs an estimated €350,000 a year to run, was there to ensure any inaccuracies or errors made by the media are corrected quickly.
Mr Cowen also confirmed the Government is considering outsourcing the unit.
The Taoiseach was also questioned about the Government's Transport 21programme and about progress on the delivery of social and affordable housing.
Responding to a question from FIne Gael leader Enda Kenny on whether Transport 21projects would proceed, Mr Cowen said there was a need to keep up a public investment programme despite the current economic downturn.
The Taoiseach said the Government was keen to maintain its overall commitment to keep capital investment between 5-6 per cent of GNP during the course of the National Development Plan (NDP).
"We're nearing the end of the third year of the project and strong progress has been made in delivery of roads and transport projects under Transport 21," said Mr Cowen. "We are giving priority to projects that have an economic return so that the competitive blocks of the economy can continue to be built upon."
