Thursday, August 7, 2008

The whatever you say, say nothing, school of public relations



Well I've been back from my holidays about a week but just now getting around to the blog.

Lots of happening in the last month, Sarkozy visits Dublin, Karadzic is uncovered as a new age doctor, the DUP think that homosexuality is worse than child abuse and that creationism should be taught in state run schools, Olmert, PM of Israel, does a Bertie and the lad in charge of Mauritania is the victim of a coup d'etat.

All interesting and informative bits of news from around the globe. What then to make of the press release that appears in my inbox an hour ago.

From the Dublin City Council Press Office its opening line states;

The City Council is aware of what occurred in O’Devaney Gardens last evening

Ok, fine so far, it continues in this cryptic vein;

We have been in consultation with the Gardaí on the matter and there is ongoing co-operation between the Gardaí and Dublin City Council with regard to Estate Management issues.

The press release then contains two paragraphs on the failed Public Private Partnership that was designed to rebuild the estate and finishes with the news that;

In the meantime new additional CCTV cameras are being purchased to augment what is already in place and we will continue to co-operate fully with the Gardaí in relation to Estate Management.

In a separate press release The Mayor of Dublin also commented on whatever happened last night in O'Deveney Gardens by revealing that;

As Lord Mayor I am deeply concerned about what happened in O’Devaney Gardens last night. It was an extremely traumatic event for residents.

Despite searching on irishtimes.com and breakingnews.ie I for one am none the wiser on what did happen in O'Deveney Gardens last night. You would have to be a seasoned, vodka soaked Kremlinologist to extract any information from both press statements.

What an odd manner to carry out PR!