€170m spent on Government public relations

Some €170m of taxpayers’ money is spent on public relations by the Government and its agencies, according to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

He admitted he does not know how much his strategic communications unit will cost in net terms, despite previously insisting it would be cost-neutral.

Mr Varadkar came under pressure from Labour leader Brendan Howlin about the prioritisation of “spin” over substance.