Leo Varadkar’s new spin unit is operating at the heart of government, answering parliamentary questions, co-ordinating events in the Taoiseach’s constituency, and even helping set up the rural affairs department. The Strategic Communications Unit (SCU) has also been involved in training civil servants, inputting directly into department management board meetings, and drawing in senior officials for its communications strategy. Mr Varadkar says the unit is there to co-ordinate government communications but he agreed to a review, including potentially scrapping it, after the advertorials scandal. Fianna Fáil may support the motion, increasing the pressure on Mr Varadkar and his ministers to scrap the SCU. “It shows that this department [unit] has gone far beyond what its remit of co-ordinating government communications.

Source: Irish Examiner March 20, 2018 00:45 UTC