asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state the number of news bulletins broadcast since 1st July and the number of items in which a member of the Government was mentioned in such bulletins.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Radio News Bulletins.
The number of news bulletins broadcast since 1st July is 497. No statistics of the kind requested in the second part of the question are available and I would not feel justified in diverting staff from their normal work for the large amount of time that would be necessary to prepare the information specially.
Would I be correct if I suggested to the Minister that out of the 497 news bulletins the Minister himself was mentioned in about 496?
I have no knowledge of the numbers at all. The practice in relation to ministerial statements remains the same as in the time of the last Government.
The practice is that the Minister appears in every one of them.