Fianna Fáil: Strategic Communications Unit 'breached political guidelines'

Fianna Fáil says it does not consider the shut down of the Government's Strategic Communications Unit (SCU) as a victory for the party.

The unit is to be wound down by July after reports from the country's highest ranking civil servant which recommend returning to the old Government Information Service.

The SCU has been the subject of intense scrutiny after allegations they instructed newspapers to make ads look like real news.

Fianna Fáil's Dara Calleary, who has been among its harshest critics, said: "It's not a question of victory, this was a wrong initiative.

"The government expenditure on the SCU breached - in our view - political guidelines.

"It ended up promoting political candidates, promoting a Fine Gael agenda."

Digital Desk