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Council staff are well read

Monday, 24 March 2008

ONE lucky newsagent in Swords won’t be complaining about Fingal County Council’s weekly newspaper bill.
It has been revealed that the local authority purchases 184 national newspapers per working day and 61 local newspapers per week from a local newsagent.
At a recent meeting, Cllr Gerry McGuire (Lab) asked the County Manager to account for the number of newspapers purchased by the council per week.
“I asked the question because a member of the public saw a council official leaving the newsagent with a large number of newspapers,” said Cllr McGuire.
In reply to Cllr McGuire’s question, a council spokesperson said they purchase approximately 184 national newspapers per day for each working day of the year.
In addition, 61 copies of local newspapers are purchased each week.
The spokesperson said the newspapers are distributed to senior staff on the basis of their responsibility for dealing with media reports related to the council and to keep abreast of matters published by way of official notices.
“Staff at the most senior level may receive more than one daily newspaper and an evening newspaper circulating in the area each day,” stated the spokesperson.
“It is judged essential that these staff are aware of matters of interest affecting council business, be it by way of news or opinion, so as to be in a position to best present information to the public on matters of council interest.”
Cllr McGuire said he was satisfied with the council’s explanation regarding the volume of newspapers purchased per week.
“I think the person who brought the matter to my attention saw a council staff member with a trolley full of newspapers and thought it was excessive,” he stated.
“However, I appreciate the fact that a lot of council staff have to be kept up to speed with matters relating to council business that appear in the papers, such as planning applications and road closures.”
According to the council, the proportion of staff in receipt of newspapers as part of their function is less than 10 per cent of the total staff complement.

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