Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 December 2004
60 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount that has been expended in 2003 and to date in 2004 by his Department in the media for the purpose of advertising programmes, schemes and other activities of his Department; the amount paid to each media outlet in the respective years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33504/04]
View answerMy Department tries to ensure that people are made aware of its schemes and services through advertising, using an appropriate mix of national and provincial media, and through information leaflets, fact sheets, posters and direct mailshots. The amount of advertising in any one year is determined by the number of specific advertising campaigns which are undertaken.
The total amount spent by my Department in the media for advertising purposes in 2003 was €286,680 of which €258,572 was in respect of print media and €28,108 in respect of broadcast media. There were no national information campaigns undertaken in 2003.
The corresponding expenditure in 2004 was €473,224 in total, €190,015 in respect of print media and €283,209 in respect of broadcast media. Advertising during 2004 included two national information campaigns. The first information campaign promoted the carer's benefit scheme. This is a relatively new scheme which benefits carers with an appropriate social insurance record. It was felt that public awareness of this scheme was low and that we should rectify this by promoting the scheme on local and national radio.
The second campaign in 2004 alerted people coming up to pension age that they should apply for their pension at least three months before they reach pension age. Delays in the payment of old age pensions arising from late applications have been an ongoing issue for my Department for some time. I am keen to get the message across that early applications helps both the pensioner and my Department.
