asked the Minister for Health the amount of money provided for in 1988 and 1989 for (1) press and information activities and (2) public relations; and to whom this money is payable.
232.
Written Answers. - Information Services.
231.
asked the Minister for Health if he will name the companies working for his Department in a public relations capacity; and the amount of money spent by his Department in (a) 1986, (b) 1987 and (c) 1988 in the public relations area.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 232 together.
Expenditure arising under press and information activities is met from within the allocation made for the dissemination of information on health and health services for which an amount of £770,000 has been provided for in 1988 and 1989. The amount spent on public relations in 1986 was nil, in 1987 it was £11,643.74 and in 1988 it was £34,814.71.
In 1988 the expenditure incurred has been related primarily to a number of major public information campaigns, concerning smoking, food hygiene, immunisation and AIDS. The main agencies involved were QMP, Doherty's, Design and Art, Murray's, Agenda, Media Bureau and David Hayes and Associates. My Department has also provided funding to a wide range of voluntary organisations engaged in the dissemination of information on health.