Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 31 May 2001

Vol. 537 No. 4

Written Answers. - Departmental Advertising

Nora Owen

Question:

64 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of advertisements in written media, radio or television since July 1997 that have contained a reference to the Minister by name or title; the number in which she has appeared or spoken; if instructions have been issued to companies or advertising agencies that when advertising a particular scheme or project sponsored by their Department, the Minister or the Government is to be included; the costs of all such advertisements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16414/01]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

Since July 1997, out of a total of 394 advertisements placed by the Department in the written media, 111 referred to me in name or title. There is a record of one radio advertisement in which reference was made to me – Establishment of the Interdepartmental/ Agency Review Group on Public Safety. I did not personally appear or speak in any radio or television adverts placed by the Department. Notices placed in Iris Oifigiúil are not considered as media advertising and thus are not included for the purposes of this response. Neither are advertisements placed by agencies of the Department, as this is considered a day to day matter for the agencies.

Given the short time scale for the response it has not been possible to isolate the precise costs of the advertisements that contain a reference to me. However, extrapolating from the Department's annual advertising outturn as reported to the Department of Finance, the estimated cost over the four year period was £124,000 or £157,000.

No instruction issued to the Department's agencies or to companies to include a reference to the Government or myself, unless there was a statutory requirement to do so.