Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 2

Written Answers. - Advertising Campaigns.

Paul Bradford

Question:

326 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Finance the public relations or advertising campaigns which have been funded, or part funded by his Department since June 1997, which involve the personal appearance of the Minister or Ministers of State on television, radio or in newspapers; the cost of any such campaigns; if any such campaigns are planned for the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26806/01]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy):

The information required by the Deputy is detailed in the following table:

Subject of AdvertisingCampaign	Media	Cost
Special Savings Investment Scheme	Newspaper and Radio	£88,391.54(112,234.10)
Euro Changeover Awareness Campaign	Television	£161,817.2(205,465.47)

Both costings detailed above are exclusive of VAT.

The Minister of State has not made a personal appearance in any such campaign. No new advertising campaigns are currently being developed, but this may change at a future date.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

327 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Finance his views on the television advertisement promoting awareness of the euro which features the Minister; the production costs involved in the advertisement; the number of occasions on which the advertisement has been transmitted to date in respect of each television channel; the number of further slots booked for transmission in respect of each television channel; when it is expected that the advertising will be completed; the average unit cost per transmission; if research has been undertaken as to the effectiveness, or otherwise, of the advertising campaign; the estimated cost of the television advertising campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26906/01]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy):

Extensive preparations for the introduction of euro notes and coins have been under way for some years. As part of these preparations, the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland has been sending a 24 page handbook on the changeover to every household in the country. The changeover to the euro is within my area of responsibility and is a major event for the public. As the handbook is the key information source for the public about it, it was appropriate for me to appear in the television advertisement referred to by the Deputy. The advertisement was designed to promote awareness of the handbook and to encourage people to read it.

The advertisement was scheduled to run in tandem with the distribution of the handbook and, accordingly, was transmitted from 1 October to 4 November. The production cost of the advertisement was £57,875.45. The transmission costs were £103,941.76, both figures are exclusive of VAT. The total cost was £161,817.21, exclusive of VAT. The advertisement was transmitted 84 times on RTE 1, 16 times on Network 2, 80 times on TV3, 47 times on TG4, 106 times on Sky One and 70 times on Sky News. The average unit cost per transmission was £257.92 exclusive of VAT. The ECBI's specialist media buying agency estimate that 86% of all adults will have seen the advertisement at least once, 82% of ABC1 adults will have seen the advertisement at least once, 87% of C2DE adults will have seen the advertisement at least once, 84% of farmers will have seen the advertisement at least once, 79% of adults aged 15 to 34 will have seen the advertisement at least once, 90% of adults aged 35 to 64 will have seen the advertisement at least once and 94% of adults aged 65 or over will have seen the advertisement at least once.