asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount spent by his Department in 1988 on publicity, public relations and advertising; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Advertising Expenditure.
6.
A total amount of £538,875 was spent by my Department in 1988 on publicity, public relations and advertising. This included a special once-off allocation of £285,200 to advertise the extension of the PRSI system to the self-employed. Of the total sum, £525,920 was spent on advertising, £12,500 on public relations on matters relating to the Department's schemes and £455 on publicity.
May I suggest to the Minister that a special effort be made this year in connection with expenditure on advertising to cover those who are entitled to supplementary welfare, the poorest of the poor? Will the Minister bear in mind the appalling statistic in the ESRI report that one in ten of those entitled to that minimal income is not getting it? Will he make a special effort to ensure that those who are entitled to that bare minimum at least get that?
The finding in the report in 1986 was that there were not. There has been a lot of effort in that direction since and currently we have a committee working on the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. Separately we are improving our literature in an effort to get across to people their entitlements in a clearer way. I accept the Deputy's suggestion and I should like to tell him that we will be making a greater effort in regard to this.