Hi °C | Lo °C JUSTICE Minister Alan Shatter will spend taxpayers' money monitoring what local newspapers in his constituency are saying about him.
His department has published a tender aimed at companies that can provide copies of articles in which it is referenced.
But unlike his fellow ministers who seek clippings from the national and regional press, Mr Shatter's department wants articles from two local papers – the south Dublin-based 'Southside People' and the 'Dundrum Gazette'.
Both papers, which have a combined circulation of more than 80,000, cover local issues in Mr Shatter's constituency of Dublin South.
Government departments routinely use monitoring services to gauge how the media react to policies and how they are implemented.
But they generally cover newspapers and publications that reflect the bigger picture.
The Department of Education, for example, gets clippings from 19 national publications and almost 100 regional titles from Donegal to Cork.
The Department of Social Protection's clippings service looks at 60 regional titles, Irish-language newspapers and internet publications while Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation monitors 50 regional papers.
But tender documents suggest Mr Shatter is keenly interested in reactions to policies in his own constituency.
This is despite the closure of 100 garda stations across the country, which provoked widespread condemnation.
The tender says clippings from eight national newspapers and six Sundays are being sought, along with the 'Southside People' and 'Dundrum Gazette'.
It adds that, on occasion, clippings from other publications may be sought.
The Department of Justice said the tender referenced only two regional papers "to save money".
Economy
It said in a statement: "In the interest of economy, the department decided not to include all regional publications in the tender but instead included a provision that, aside from the specified regional publications, certain regional publications might be required from time to time."
It added that the criteria "broadly" replicated the last time a similar service was required, in 2010. Details of which papers were covered by that tender are not available.
Irish Independent
