Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2016
614. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount of money spent on daily newspapers in 2015; if this is an appropriate expenditure given the available and far cheaper online alternatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15435/16]
View answerThe total expenditure on hard copy newspapers by my Department and Offices in 2015 was €21,530. The newspapers were purchased in respect of the Offices of the Minister, Ministers of State, the Press Office, Office of the Secretary General, members of the Management Board and include a number of business newspapers for Divisional use. Also, in 2015, my Department purchased ten online subscriptions to three daily newspapers at a total cost of €2,139.
The purchase of hard copy and online subscriptions to daily newspapers was authorised in accordance with procedures that were introduced in the Department in 2008 that significantly reduced the annual expenditure on newspapers. My Department is mindful of the need to secure value for money and, accordingly, strives to keep costs to the minimum while ensuring that its business needs to purchases newspapers can be met in the most appropriate manner.
