Government media monitoring compared to MI5 operation

THE TAOISEACH told the Labour leader to "cop himself on" when he compared the Government's media monitoring operation to MI5.

Brian Cowen said that the unit's role was to monitor coverage of official Government activity and how it was portrayed in the media.

"It is right that this is done . . . to ensure Ministers are aware of how policy is being presented," he said. "If it is accurate, that is fine but if it is not we must deal with it. This is its role."

Eamon Gilmore said the unit was "daft and a waste of money" and called for its closure. "Why does the Government operate this MI5-type of operation on the media at taxpayers' expense when Ministers can listen to the radio themselves and read newspapers?" Mr Gilmore added.

Mr Cowen said that Mr Gilmore knew exactly what the unit was for, but he liked to portray it as something else.

"He speaks about it being an MI5-type operation on the media. He should cop himself on," the Taoiseach added.

Mr Cowen said that the projected cost this year of the unit, which employed four civil servants, was €302,235. He said the unit's role was under continual review.

The Department of the Taoiseach had issued a tender for a contract for the provision of a press-cutting and media monitoring service for all departments.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that at a time when children were being denied essential vaccinations, it seemed extraordinary that so much public money was being spent on getting public servants to take press cuttings and inform Ministers of what others were saying about them.