Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
PROMOTION OF THE government’s Ireland 2040 plan is estimated to cost about €1.5 million, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said today – as the row over the government’s marketing of the national development plan again dominated Leaders’ Questions.
The government’s controversial Strategic Communications Unit is heading up a sweeping strategy to promote the plan across traditional and online media.
Opposition politicians have claimed that articles placed in newspapers in recent days blurred the line between news reporting and advertising.
The row over the rollout of the promotion plan received coverage on the front-page of last weekend’s Sunday Times, while its sister newspaper, the Ireland edition of The Times, reported yesterday that regional newspapers “were instructed not to make government advertorials look like independent stories”.
Labour’s Alan Kelly and Fianna Fáil’s Timmy Dooley have called for officials from the Taoiseach’s department to appear before separate Oireachtas committees.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar insisted in the Dáil today that the government’s Strategic Communications Unit (SCU) did not have a final “sign-off” on the articles that ran in recent days.
The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that some commentators interviewed for the pieces were not told they were being spoken to for advertorials.
“If somebody is interviewed, as a general point, they should be told [if] they are being interviewed for a commercial feature,’’ Varadkar said today.
Marketing campaign
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin raised the matter in the Dáil, calling out the advertising campaign as “a clear election pitch by any yardstick”.
“In essence, it is using taxpayers money to advance and promote Fine Gael election candidates,” he said.
“We have an independent media, thanks be to God, which is essential to the health of our democracy. The media needs revenue and we have no difficulty with advertisements that are clearly identified as advertisements,” said Martin.
However, he said media content partnerships with the government need to be “fully transparent”.
“Blurring of the lines” is how Martin described the rollout of the campaign. He also said civil servants working in the SCU (15 in total) have been politicised.
The Taoiseach told the House the Strategic Communications Unit operates at an “arm’s length” from the government, and does so “in accordance with civil service code”.
Varadkar hit back at claims that the marketing campaign of the Ireland 204o plan is the most expensive in the history of the State.
The Fianna Fáil-Green Party coalition ran the most expensive campaign, the Taoiseach claimed, stating that the adverts around a climate change campaign during that time period cost €15 million.
He said Fianna Fáil’s Transport 2021 campaign cost €3 million.
Going to some effort to prove his point, Varadkar showed a sponsored ad from 2007 that included then-Minister Micheál Martin.
“This campaign [Ireland 2040] will cost around €1.5m which is half the cost of the Transport 2021 campaign and a tenth of the cost of the climate change campaign,” he said.
Ceann Comhairle Sean O’Fearghail addressed the Taoiseach and told him he had to obey the rules of the House like everyone else. It is against the rules to use props in the Dáil.
“You have blurred the lines, you are going down a dangerous route, which ultimately has the potential to corrupt our democratic process itself, and it is about time you saw it,” Martin told the Taoiseach.
“No one in the unit had any editorial sign off before they were published,” said the Taoiseach.
He also said the unit played no role in selecting who would be interviewed for the articles, and “didn’t have final sign off in editorial content – that was signed off by the editors”.
The Strategic Communications Unit, set up by the Taoiseach with a view to streamlining the government’s communications, has come in for frequent criticism from the opposition benches since its inception.
The new SCU exists in tandem with the current Government Information Service (GIS), which runs all day-to-day communications concerning the Department of the Taoiseach.
The unit will cost some €5 million to run this year.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Christmas is Christmas – family time & a few days off; think of the unfortunate staff who have to work til 11pm on Christmas Eve to prepare the sale stock & then come in onSt Stephens Day – cant it wait a few more days & let them have a proper Christmas with their families.
Well it doesn’t look that bad. A more accurate headline based on the above photographic evidence would be:
“7 people waited for Brown Thomas to open this morning..”
I think “Slaves to Consumerism” would be a more accurate headline.
Agree totally Helen. It’s total nonsense that the shops couldn’t wait one more day to open.
In New York the shops have been on the go since 5am their time, 10am our time I want even awake!!!!
7 spas wait to buy unwanted and out of seasons shirts
My sister started worked 6am on Christmas day, and got in the door at 7.50pm when we were all merry around the table after dinner. She came in nakered and revealed that she made a meager 15 quid in tips with a 30 minute break for lunch and is back in work today at 6am. Absolute joke to work those hours and it angered me and my family.
They could hold off a few days and let their competition take everyones money instead, I’m sure a short christmas is preferable to January layoffs for most those working in retail. It’s part of the territory in selling when the public are willing to spend, and that happens to be on Stephens Day when everybody is off and has gift money in their pocket.
Why did she come in naked?
The public are still willing to spend on the 28th and handbags, shoes and electronics aren’t exactly essential. It’s simply greed on the part of the owners.
Agree. Give them a few days off.
They do not have to work if they don’t want to so stop with the poor staff malarkey. You lot do realize that people of faith can opt out under law from work on both Christmas day and Stephens day and good Friday etc..
Has anyone noticed majority are not Irish at the sales lol seems to be a trend with foreign nationals. What happened to the days when Ireland actually had January sales in January? Next they will have spring sales at Christmas. Flipping stupid.
Karen that is so not true
Don’t know where you got those “facts” from Karen. Totally untrue.
Exactly which law is that Karen?
Staff don’t have the choice of working on st stephens day. Its not extra pay either, if its your rostered day in, your in. For most people its. The only time of the year you are guarantee d two days together. It should be a time you can spend with family and friends. Not a time to stand on your feet for hours and getting abused and. Accused of making up rules as you go through the day!!!!!
It’s the madey upey Karen law, I think.
You are wrong next staff have to work Stephens day its in their contract. Fired if they don’t do it . they open at 6am on Stephens day
Would love it if BT sale didn’t start until tomorrow!!
So they are queueing for goods that are 50% higher than all the other shops hoping that they get discounted to the same levels of all the other shops
Lol
I love Christmas
Its the perception of a bargain that drives shoppers.
Best one I have experience was an importer who got two designer knock off bags when coming home from China. Took them to Brown Thomas or Arnotts etc and got them gift wrapped. Gave one to his wife and the other to the brother in law to give to his wife. The wives where delighted that they got designer bags from Brown Thomas
All that proves is that his wife couldn’t spot a cheap knock off…
FYI If you take fake LV bags into Brown Thomas they are within their legal right and they have been known to confiscate them.
Snell’s like BS to me. I never knew BT and Arnotts do a gift wrapping service for goods not bought in store, let alone knockoffs of the genuine article that they sell.
Are you sure that he didn’t get a knock off story in china and give it to you….. Bulls**t,
Jeeze, Mr Law ‘n’ order eh. Merry Christmas to you too Scrooge.
Bt in cork do a gift wrapping service for a high price….
Im not going anywhere near the shops, i,ve had enough. Its a day for family and friends for me
Don’t know why they just couldn’t even wait until January or even next week to start the sales… Very unfair on staff getting one day off & having to come back in to yet another manic day of ppl being possessed by shopping… Glad I don’t work in retail anymore…
If you’re making that statement about people working in retail why not about those in health services, airlines and transport companies, emergency services etc all who work incredibly hard in the line up to Christmas and continue to do so throughout and after!!!!
Maybe beacause those in emergency services arent on minimum wage.
Or that those in the emergency services are performing an essential and worthwhile task over Christmas.
Those in retail are pushed in to a rota/shift which the owners could well leave for another day. Nobody NEEDS to buy laptops and cosmetics today.
Some people NEED medical care today.
Cause them jobs serve a very important purpose… retail staff don’t… its all money and greed… I work in retail an I had A DAY OFF… They shouldn’t call it the holiday season cause it certainly doesn’t feel like that anymore.. Two women have an actual fight over sale garments today were I was working I was actually embarrassed for them… its only gonna get worse and I blame arnotts for starting this stupid trend a few years back.. fair play to Dunnes Stores never open on Stephens day.. might go der for a job!!! My mother worked nights in a maternity hospital this week but that’s the line of work she’s in and she loves her job.. However way too much unnecessary greed about these sales!! Trust me if they closed tat extra day the shops wud still cut a fine profit…
These people are staff that are needed to work it’s completely different in retail just another way of squeezing money from people… They could easily stay closed an extra day and open tomorrow morning
My heart goes out to you christine, it’s not fair on staff in retail getting one day off, as you said its supposed to be holiday time but shopsvr always looking to make an extra buck… I can imagine ppl fighting over a bag alright madness… My friend went to bt sale in cork & she took pictures of empty shelves where the bags were!!! And ppl fighting who picked it up first etc… No bloody thanks I’d rather be at home. The best wishes to you for the new year hope your not to stressed after ur manic day
The thing is I know staff working in retail who’s families live the other side of the country. They get one day off which means they spend Christmas on their own, with no family around them, simply to satisfy consumerism. Imagine having to have Christmas dinner on your own so you can work a till the following day serving some ungrateful so and so!
They can say no. If sacked they can sue then for unfair-dismissal . Are the guys at top in work on thse days or working from home? If my job had of asked me i would have said no thanks. Even more so when they only give us 35 cent extra an hour for bank holidays etc..
They don’t wait because customers drive the demand. Businesses wouldn’t open if people didn’t shop. It’s as simple as that. Customers have the power, not the businesses. It’s not possible for the shops not to open anymore because they will never come to an agreement with their competition to stay closed . The only way that works is that all shops stay closed and as soon as one greedy one opens, they all have to open as long as there is customer demand.
Fools and their money are easily parted
You have plenty of it to be parting with anyway
Ah be jeysus, soon as I speak of fools one appears
Tis great. , wife gone shopping for the day me at home with the kids playing PS4
A man after my own heart!
All fun and games now but wait till the credit card bill arrives..
Yesterday my 7 year old son couldn’t believe all the shops were shut. It made me think is this the commercial world he growing up in. Sadly I came to the conclusion it was. I though to my self in 20-30 years time he likely not be tellin his children all the shops are shut on Christmas day.
There were shops open here in Sweden yesterday at 8 or 9 in the morning to start the sales, mostly furniture (not IKEA) and electronics shops. Not sure about other shops, but I just saw the advertising. The supermarket down the street from me was open 9am-7pm too, and it’s Swedish-owned and Swedish-staffed before anyone thinks it has an owner who would not be used to celebrating Christmas.
Granted, the evening of Christmas Eve is more important for Swedes than Christmas Day. But until about 2pm, Christmas Eve is treated as a normal day. So there was no day off for a lot of staff in this country over Christmas. Really sad. I’d already started to feel that Sweden was a quite soulless place, but this Christmas just takes the biscuit.
Father in Law said the exact same thing this morning that within 20 years time shops will be opened Christmas Day like a Sunday.
Quinns in Carrickmacross opens for an hour or two on Christmas Day morning. For a couple of hours you wonder wants the point in opening at all.
There’s always one local shop that opened Christmas day for a couple of hours. I’m sure they sold a lot of milk, icecream and batteries.
They celebrate julafton on the 24th in sweden, all the shops open on the 25th.
You couldn’t pay me to stand in the cold on Xmas night.
I bet it’s all the good gear that’s being sold off. /s
There is six people outside BT’s – hardly a reason to condemn us all as slaves to capatilism
All the more reason BT should have remained shut until tomorrow
I worked yesterday morning in a well known service station. The amount of stupid things people were coming in for was unreal. A tin of peas, packs of Benson, a sliced pan. I understand if u might need fuel on Christmas morning but do people really not understand the need to get food items or cigs on Christmas Eve? People in retail work their asses off all through Christmas,only to have the demand there to open Christmas Day. It looked like people were just looking to spend money yesterday.
The only reason a service station should open yesterday would be for the emergency services.
They were probably just looking to get out of the house!
I hope the staff are getting at least treble time!!!
Double at best Id say
Retail trade unuin mandate only tequires retailers to pay 1.25 time and thats what most are paying
Mandate – the most useless shower of trade unionists in the world.
They sit at their expenses-paid top restaurant meals while retail workers are mandated to work unsociable hours
Nope treble only on Xmas day but should be on double
I bought things in Harrods for half price on the 22nd that BT were still charging full price for on xmas eve. They put everything on full sale straight away and sometimes add more stock…. don’t do progressive reductions.
BT sale is pretty rubbish.
A sad sign of the consumerism and pure greed that has taken over Christmas! And of course it’s the people in the offices who have two weeks off for Christmas telling the shop workers that they have to work first thing Stephens day. Very glad I no longer work in retail, but thinking of those who do this time of year!
They’re probably my dyslexic cousins who went into town early for the
Thomas Brown sale…..
Getting up at 6am Stephen’s Day wouldn’t be for me but sure if they are happy at it leave them at it.
Wow, epic fail, even the dotdotdot at the end doesn’t rescue it, it just serves to drive home how truly brutal that was as an attempt at a funny comment.. Again, just wow, SHOCKING
If you’re out shopping today you’re probably a massive bell end.
I’ve friends doing it today….been lining up a few hours. All Chinese all did not have a drink yesterday and all went to BTs…if you gonna save 30/40% on a few thousand shopping then good luck to them. I’ll be having pints today.
Total madness! Feel sorry for retail staff having to go to work today!
Saps
Wife left the house at 4 for the next sale in cork. Does it every year now since we had kids!
Well I’m just delighted that you’ve been overcome by such festive spirit and joy
Happy Christmas all of you!
Simon
If it wasn’t for people like Brendan’s wife spending money in the shop the people that work in retail wouldn’t have a job
Thats a crap statement.
There are 361 shopping days a year.
Retailers survived for decades without following the british high streets lead of boxing day sales.
Most stotes now open as they are either legally obliged by lease agreements in shiping centres or on high streets just so as not to give market share to others on the street.
The majority of stores just abiut break even on such days and actually squeeze staff costs to counteract these extra days.
Same as when in 2000 most departments stores opened the first time on good friday by highering cheaper non unionised staff to work around excisting agreements for bank holidays amd sundays and late nightsif your going to comment at least have some idea what you are commenting about from the inside.
You should have told her that you can shop online now. Save her the trip
Then he wouldn’t have a morning of peace with her at home
I actively try not to advise my wife on ways to spend money!! I find that she has proved herself more than adequate at doing it all by herself
Mostly there is nothing but cr@p and old stock (dating a couple of years to summer stuff) in the sale. None of the new stuff brought in for winter is on sale.
The best sale Next ever had was in July 9 years ago. My baby was born 5 weeks premature and none of the 10lb clothes fitted him as he was only 7lb 6oz so I had to run into Next the day I was released from hospital to pick up all newborn clothes. I got loads of outfits for 100 quid. However since then I’ve never really bought anything in the sales due to the above.
What absolute s**t Thomas Maher, I work in crappy retail, have little or no holidays over Xmas. My Family are home from abroad with God children that I miss out on, because people can’t wait an extra day or two to shop.
Your comment insulted me so much, as if we are only lowly retail workers here to serve – your comment really boiled my blood.
It’s not Thomas’ fault you work in retail,give the chap a break,Christ
Martina……..get back to work
Hi martina
Apologys didn’t mean to offend, I worked in retail for long enough myself and I’m well aware of the hassle but I’m afraid it’s not my fault you work there, go get yourself a new job if you don’t like working Christmas
Simon
I think someone maybe misleading you or you are simply mis informed.
The facet is the majority of retailers make a significant amount of their turnover in the 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after Christmas.
Some baby if he weighed 7lbs 6ozs at 5 weeks premature! That’s the average weight of a full term baby!
My first (a girl) was 9lb 1oz and a week early. His scans said he was big so I bought no newborn clothes as my first was too big for newborn clothes.
Life really is that simple isn’t it! I have 7 yrs in college done. Took a job in retail to relocate to be with my husband, just as a temporary measure, a few months later the economy was on its arse and I got stuck with retail! I accept your comment but I don’t think it’s fair! My qualification was in engineering and design – not too much call for it these days! That’s not for the want of trying.
Materialism has driven people to the brink of non humanity, Xmas time is about spending quality time with loved ones, not running around sheeping centres for stuff you don’t need at a price discount that’s irrelevant and picking up some item for a family member thinking you are contributing to your family in the best way… Idiots
Today’s the biggest drinking day of the year…even bigger than paddies day. Loads of old friends home so hit the bar stool and place a few bets….lovely jubbley
But give a thought for the poor bar staff – at least give them a generous tip, given the day that’s in it
Mad………
Getting up at 6am Stephen’s Day wouldn’t be for me but sure if they are happy at it leave them at it.
(Dam double post)
They might be happy but I bet most of the staff aren’t.
Haha you wrote Dam Double Post before you posted it again. Looking for your comment to get to the top?:)
Non sense
If only the had a more compact version of those 2 words…
Wouldn’t buy anything on St Stephens day, don’t encourage them. People in retail can’t even let their hair down on Christmas day now because of this. Shopaholics can’t go without for two day in a row, sad really.
People in retail signed up for the job
You give out if they’re on the dole. Then you give out if they take up a job that requires them to stay away from their families over what’s supposed to be a time for family. I’m beginning to think you’re a mean-spirited, cold-hearted, and soulless individual, Thierry.
Thierry I have no problem working at Christmas time at all,I have worked the last 12 Christmas Eves because I’ve always sorted out my presents before then. Once I have time to spend with my own family and friends I don’t mind. But this opening on Christmas Day craic is atrocious. Retail is NOT a life or death industry like a hospital or emergency services.Going into a shop on Christmas Day to buy a pack of cigarettes meaning SOMEBODY doesn’t get to spend the day with their family is ridiculous In all fairness.
Pack of losers.
48 hours is more than enough time with the family,I’m off to buy some music
Did loads of sale shopping online last night from the comfort of my couch!
The Stuffnes season continues. Stuffnes Day yesterday and now we enter the two weeks of Silly Stuffmas.
Gets less Christian and more pagan every year.
It’s getting back to what it was originally then
I thought the pics were in Hong Kong for a second, there was close to not an irish person in sight.. I think it was true for the guy from the infamous ‘house of prayer’ on achill Island when he said the Chinese are coming.. Ps not even remotely racist before some idiot says so, just observant
I work in security and we had people queueing from 1am. By the time the shop they were queueing to get into opened there was 400 in the queue.
Why not drop the prices of all these goods on Christmas Eve to help people out? But no, ‘drop’ the prices on these highly sought after products the day after they were needed. Most of the ‘sale’ products are just gone back down to original price anyway.
Sados.
The government is selling the people of Ireland a lie . For anyone working in retail , they will tell you the truth it was a tough Christmas . People want value all year round and even more so at Christmas well before a official sale . Most retailers jumped on board . The economy will never be the same again , people are price savvy .
For the most part sales in retail stores are just not worth it compared to going online in the comfort of your own home, getting exactly what you want and having it delivered to your front door. Most of the time for cheaper too.
Sad sad people
The scene of 7 eejits outside a closed shop is likely to be repeated up and down the country!
What sad, miserable, lonely, unsatisfying lives these people must lead if they have to Q outside shops from Christmas night to St Stephens day to get a “bargain”. I have worked in retail for years and don’t have to work either of these day’s but as someone mentioned earlier it is a “Religious right to refuse” sadly those day’s are long gone you would be told on Sundays to either attend Saturday night mass or be given an hour to go to nearest church to where you work, but now it’s written into contracts that people have to be “fully flexible” which covers working these day’s. Most of us also had to make allowances in our contracts in order to keep our job’s Also the rates of pay for these day’s were mentioned. Since the JLC’s were done away with by John Bruton Sunday’s and Bank Holidays are now payed at 1.3 for new contracts at most some companies only pay flat rate. If anyone else says “it’s your choice to work retail” eh have you forgotten about the recession and people took any job that was going to feed and cloth themselves and their family as well as put a roof over their head. What a luxury it is to tell someone to find a more suitable job that gives them more time with their family. Also what a luxury for you to be in a job that gives you these days off so that you can go shopping forgetting that because you make this choice other peoples Christmas is ruined because they can’t have a few drinks with their family on Christmas night because they have to make their way into work for 6am with no public transport to take them.
Like the poor:
For ye have the morons always with you!
No right to complain about no time off over Christmas so Thierry no?
Jus like a casino the house always wins, if you realy want to save just buy what you like and need and to be happy spent it with those who you care and love.
Do people not realise that they look like cretins with them stupid bags. Its beyond repulsive and seems to be the main goal in life for the bottom feeding freaks in society.
You would never see me queuing or actually even going to the sales on Stephens day. Not something I approve of.
However, this is a good indicator of the economic state of the country. So in an odd way it is great to see.
Is that a baby or a turkey?
Does anyone remember when some shops would close early on Wednesdays?
Humans are pretty silly.
I can remember vividly the first time I saw advertising in St. Stephen’s Green to the fact that the shops were going to be open of a Sunday. I remember feeling innately peculiar about the notion. Sunday for me up until then (mid nineties) was a day of rest, a day for family borne out of a church going society.
Fast forward to 2014 and rampant consumerism has taken over the retail sector, to the extent that even Christmas Day itself could be coming under threat. And all for what… Instant gratification? The buzz of a bargain?
I knew it back then and I know it now. Retail therapy is nothing but a sham masquerading itself as the essence of inner fulfilment…
have your say