A junior minister has insisted the Government has no issue with communications.
Niall Collins has dismissed “glib criticisms” of the Government’s communications strategy, following renewed criticism of their approach in recent days.
There was unhappiness over the approach at a Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting yesterday, which some TDs believing there has been a ‘number of own goals’.
Opposition parties also criticised the Government in the Dáil earlier this week, with Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall saying she struggled “to understand what the Government’s strategy or plan is”.
On today’s Hard Shoulder, Fianna Fáil Minister of State Niall Collins insisted there are no communication difficulties.
He said: “I think it’s one of the most glib criticisms which always seems to get levelled at people who are leading political parties or Government… people try to hang their criticism around communications.
“In my experience and to my mind, there has been no issue with communications.
“Everything the Government do is open and transparent – we’re living in an open, transparent and media-friendly environment.
“For someone to say there is a communications challenge, blockage or issue… I would challenge them back, and say give us an example”.
It comes after Taoiseach Micheál Martin earlier hit back at criticism from Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry.
The Taoiseach also said he ‘seriously disagreed’ with the suggestion from Deputy MacSharry that Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn should be taken off television.
