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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has said his department is conducting an audit of all public relations and communications services across every government department.
Since taking office, Varadkar has also set about establishing a new strategic communication unit for his government.
Currently, all communications are dealt with through the Government Information Service (GIS), which includes the Government Press Secretary and a number of press officers. Each department also has its own press office which deals with its brief.
However, sources say Varadkar wants to “shake-up” how the government communicates its message.
The Taoiseach, who is known for how he handles the media, has set about setting up what he describes as a “small unit” within his own department. Its focus is on “strategic communications across government”, he said.
‘Spin machine’
While the Taoiseach argues it will ensure all departments are conveying the same message, those in opposition view it as a new “spin machine” for his own department.
With some in the Government Information Service commanding high salaries, Fianna Fáil’s Niall Collins recently queried the cost behind hiring additional staff for the new strategic information unit.
Collins asked the Taoiseach for details of the annual budget of the unit and questioned what the relationship between the existing departmental press office and the new unit will be.
Due to the strategic communications unit not being established as yet, the Taoiseach said a lot of the details are still being worked out.
“The precise mandate and other arrangements for the operation of this new unit, including staffing structure and budget, will be worked out over the coming weeks. It is my intention to staff the unit with civil and public servants. The new unit will be independent of, and supplementary to, the Government Information Service,” he explained.
However, the Irish Independent reports that Varadkar has already hired the unit’s first well-known businessman to head up the new unit – John Concannon – the man behind the 1916 commemorations, the Wild Atlantic Way, The Gathering and Creative Ireland.
Varadkar said the new unit “will complement, not replace, the existing arrangements in departments and agencies for dealing with press, media and communications. The proposed unit will operate independently of the Government Information Service”.
“The GIS will continue its work of dealing with the media on a daily basis and managing major international media events,” said the Taoiseach, who said his PR audit, which will be complete in a matter of weeks, will help inform the precise mandate, role and function of the new unit.
“The establishment of the new unit provides an opportunity to present a clear and cohesive message to the public on the work of Government,” said Varadkar, who added that it would be established on a permanent basis.
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It’s amazing how some things can be ‘set up in a matter of weeks’ while most others are empty promises or actions that take months and years to get done, if at all.
@Shelly O’Shea: Best comment I’ve seen fair play Shelley he’d let people die for a bit of medication but can find money for rich business men to run his propaganda machine with a click of his fingers
@Barry Donoher: pay for your own medicine, take some personal responsibility
@Shelly O’Shea: because they are not bound by the Civil Service system that runs the country… every “change” we need, every “application” we make, every “law change” required – especially if it comes from public spending: must run through hundreds of mangers desks before it’s passed, approved and implemented.
@Patrick Murphy: what like with taxes that are supposed to pay for a health service but instead pay debts we never created across Europe? Yeah our personal responsibility will sort the HSE out alright. Ye sap!
@Phil Swan: wow that is some rant… next.
@Patrick Murphy: I do pay for my own medication you clown maybe your fearless leader can pay for his own pr,Muppet
So Varadkar uses separate office looking after his own PR to defend setting up separate office to look after his own PR!
@The Dons:
It makes more sense that outsourcing it to a 3rd party
@The Dons: I think it’s a smart move. The GIS is controlled by blinkered senior civil servants following old school rules and methodology of PR… time to shake the system!
It about time someone ran the office like a business
@Nick Allen: but Leo couldn’t run a tap or can you point to the great successes he’s had in ministerial positions to date that I’m not aware of? He’s a spoofer
@Cathal S Byrne:
Regardless of whether Leo is an incompetent muppet or not and regardless of whether he has successes on his CV or not the implementation of a unit to ensure consistent and accurate communications is the correct decision and will benefit the office. If it was a business this is exactly how it would be done.
@Nick Allen: I heard Francis Fitzgearld use the word Transparency the other day when speaking about an other issue.. Kettle and pot
@Nick Allen: A twenty first century business at that, well done Leo……shake out the dead cockroaches.
Leo the legend is playing a blinder. We truly are blessed to have such a fantastic leader. Style and substance is a great combo.
@cormac o neill: fine gale and transparency are two words that just don’t go together.
@Patrick Murphy:
I trust that comment is sarcasm ?
@Nick Allen: Why do the citizens have to pay for this useless prixxks inability to do the job himself. What is he being paid for? He is just another patsy being controlled by the elite at our loss.
Is this the ‘important constituency work’ politicians do when they’re on their summer holidays then?
@Eyepopper:
6400 euro of taxpayer’s money on a personal PR photo shoot. That’s Leo.
@Christy Nolan: Money well spent. Well done Leo :)
So he wants to control the way the government appears to voters? DO A BETTER JOB!! That always goes down better with voters. This is a vanity project. Probably has mirrors on the ceiling!!!
@Deborah Behan: Agreed Deborah…note this isnt about how things will be done..this is about how things will be reported…Enda returns
Hopefully Scaramucci is available
Vars small spin unit ha ha at a cost of millions
LEO if you just tolled the irish public the gods honest truth ,you would not need to spend a small fortune on pr advisors whos job it is to spin and deceive the irish public .integrity ,transparency ,and accountability is all we ask .obviously thats too much to ask in a democratic republic
Maybe a Sign of lack of confidence and/or insecurity ? No doubt it will be more waste of our hard earned taxes and another job for of the boys or girls.
It’s a bit surprising that such an organisation is not already in place. As all departments report to the Taoiseach and communications being so important. No better man than Leo to sort out PR
He could have all the PR in the world, but it won’t buy him any charisma. And poor Leo has zero charisma!
Soon they’ll need a minister for bu11shit………………
@Ian Oh: Think they already have loads of them
Jobs for the boys.
Isn’t that what Trump did? To avoid the fake news media..
@Kieran Graham: Trump speaks the truth and shoots straight from the hip ..Hes the best President the yanks have had since Ronald Reagan
@cormac o neill:
An example of how to ruin ones credibility with one simple comment
Shelly O Shea : so true ,where there’s a Political will there’s a way,
Did Varadkar PR people time his visit to the north so he could also be around for the gay pride festival, talk about taking the piss and abusing his position.
If it in addition to rather than instead of gis, the question is why are they all still needed. Seems indulgent???
@ARIS: they are civil servants, closing them down would invoke the wrath of the Unions and weeks in WRC justifying the closure!
The David Cameron of Iris politics.
‘h’…rish……IRISH
Of course if FG were doing a competent job, they wouldn’t be needing their multimillion euro spin machines and PR dept to be spinning their spin, fooling the nation and trying and keep themselves in gov. The main thing that’s in their favour is the lack of other credible options, which doesn’t say much for their ability to do an adequate job in running the country anyway.
Varadkar has become the puppet masters dream, he has taking to his new task like a duck to water,all that is missing is the invisible strings, the man is a clone as opposed to clown.
By reading the comments I think there are a lot of shills worried about their jobs.
Sorry shills your game is weak you will be replaced.
@Revolting Peasant: They’re trying really really hard today. Poor saps.
Que the haters
@Ollie Watson: Well done bring hate into a debate first..Same ole liberal mentality all the time
@Ollie Watson: I am from Barcelona!
@Frank Cooney:
Seems Leo likes to Pas de lieu Rhone Que Nous
@Frank Cooney: kwybird mwssed up
@cormac o neill: wasn’t me
Rainbow warrior
Good man Leo, clever move. Will be money well spent in sure. .
This man is all his narcissistic self and self promotion- just wait until the shine disappears and he has to take proper heavy weight analysis of his lack of stickability and when his opinion on every cat fight becomes irrational and irritating.
Well that’s Showbiz folks!
Think it’s a great idea. Mind you what it has to do with the Idiot Trump I have no idea.
have your say