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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says his SCU will be wound down by July. PA Wire/PA Images

Leo's controversial Strategic Communications Unit to be wound down within months

The Taoiseach told his Cabinet today the unit’s budget will be cut by 50% and the staff reduced.

THE GOVERNMENT’S STRATEGIC Communications Unit (SCU) will be wound down by July.

The Taoiseach informed his ministers of his decision at today’s Cabinet meeting.

The decision follows a review of the unit by the Secretary General of the Department of An Taoiseach, Martin Fraser.

Set up last year, the SCU was established to streamline government communications.

It exists in tandem with the current Government Information Service (GIS), employs 15 people and has a budget of €5 million.

In addition to the winding down of the body, the budget is to be cut by 50% and staff reduced. Going forward, the unit will also play no role in any major government campaigns. It is understood GIS will now take over any future promotion of government campaigns.

The unit came in for strong criticism in the last couple of months as a result of the fallout from a government advertising campaign around the Ireland 2040 National Planning Framework.

Questions were raised about how advertorials in newspapers were presented during the €1.5 million rollout of the plan.

The SCU headed up a sweeping strategy to promote the plan across traditional and online media.

The scandal resulted in opposition politicians calling for the unit to be disbanded. Last week, the government lost a vote in the Dáil calling for the unit, which has been dubbed the Taoiseach’s “spin unit”, to be shut down.

A total of 85 TDs voted in favour of the motion put forward by Sinn Féin. 49 voted to keep it.

‘A distraction’: Review will look at abolishing the Strategic Communications Unit>

Dáil votes to abolish Strategic Communications Unit>

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    Mute royston T justice
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    Sep 16th 2013, 6:54 AM

    Photo looks like Gilmore considering a fascist moustache.. Well fitting I think..

    58
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    Mute Bruce
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    Sep 16th 2013, 7:20 AM

    The most important questions for Gilmore:
    1. “When are quitting?” – and
    2. “Will you do the decent and NOT take severence? “

    57
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    Mute Simon King
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    Sep 16th 2013, 7:22 AM

    I thought it looks like he’s sniffing his finger

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    Mute Little Jim
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    Sep 16th 2013, 11:02 AM

    I’m only on this thread because my thumb automatically hit his face when the pic popped up.
    True story.

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    Mute Ruairi Colton
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    Sep 16th 2013, 8:01 AM

    Abolish the dail and have the monkeys in dublin zoo run the country. Theyl do a better job.

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    Mute linda o neill
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    Sep 16th 2013, 7:01 AM

    Question 3 is quiet relevant in that Labour will be wiped out at the local and euro elections. You will see Gilmore fighting for his political life and eventually he will lose the leadership…What is left of Labour will pander on for 2 to three months at best with Fine Gael and then they will pull the plug and run from Government…Can’t wait

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    Mute Chris Mansfield
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    Sep 16th 2013, 7:37 AM

    Gilmore won’t be leader at the next General Election, but I can’t see the rest of your scenario occurring.

    For one thing the massive boundary redraws will make it hard to compare performance. Also, performance will be relative to the last locals. On that basis Fine Gael are going to suffer badly as well, while Fianna Fáil won’t have a great night. So Labour will be able to point to dissatisfaction with mainstream parties. Only Sinn Fein will see growth.

    Finally, any Labour TDs who looked to pull out of government now would want their heads examined. They have supported massive cuts in recent years. Now they can support much smaller cuts in what may be the last budget with cuts at all and hope that they get some recovery in the next 2 years (and it currently looks like the global economy might do this for them despite government policy). Hang around until they can claim they did what was necessary to sort the economy out.

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    Mute linda o neill
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    Sep 16th 2013, 8:02 AM

    The main thrust of my argument is that Gilmore is a lame duck

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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Sep 16th 2013, 8:03 AM

    Do you not mean the season of non answering and non accountability has returned?

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    Mute Adam Hurley
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    Sep 16th 2013, 7:14 AM

    Just to address the ”wipe out” thing. I find it hilarious. If Labour were to get what they’re polling now (which is pretty much their base) in a GE they’d still have more seats that Sinn Fein have currently yet we don’t refer to SF as wiped out or irrelevant. Just a point.

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    Mute Ruairi Colton
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    Sep 16th 2013, 7:19 AM

    i think adam its more of a matter that labour are coming from a relatively high base and going down whereas sf are coming from a low base and rising.

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    Mute Rocky Dennis
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    Sep 16th 2013, 7:31 AM

    Jaysis, can we not have one article where commenters don’t bring the government into it! :)

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    Mute Powerabbey
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    Sep 16th 2013, 7:52 AM

    You Shinners are out in force today!

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    Mute Little Jim
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    Sep 16th 2013, 9:37 AM

    Your paranoia is showing.

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