Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2017

Tuesday, 11 July 2017

Questions (162)

Brendan Howlin

Question:

162. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance the level of expenditure by his Department or organisations under the aegis of his Department for each of the past five years on photography, advertising, communications advice, public relations, website development, media interview training and preparation; the events, campaigns or policies to which this expenditure related; the company or person to which such payments were made, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32651/17]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The total costs for my department, and the details of the events, campaigns, or policies to which the expenditure related are outlined in a table:

Photography
Year	Supplier	Expenditure €	Event, Campaign, or Policy
2017	Sherwood photography	758	Department of Finance graduation ceremony for in-house Diplomas and the Refund of Fees attended by Minister Noonan
2016	Brendan Lyon Photography	105	Irish Institute of Training and Development (IITD) award photo
2015	Maxwell Photography Ltd	463	Department of Finance Learning and Development Recognition of Awards Ceremony, attended by Minister Noonan
2015	Events Portraits Ltd	96	Irish Institute of Training and Development (IITD) award to Department of Finance for "Best Learning and Development Organisation"
2014	Maxwell Photography Ltd	511	Department of Finance graduation ceremony for the Diploma in Taxation Policy and Practice, the Diploma in Project Management, and the Refund of Fees attended by Minister Noonan
2012	Maxwell Photography Ltd	285	Signing ceremony for Double Taxation Agreement with Switzerland: Minister of State Hayes and the Swiss Ambassador
2012	Maxwell Photography Ltd	148	Signing ceremony for Double Taxation Agreement with Uzbekistan
Advertising
Year	Supplier	Expenditure €	Event, Campaign, or Policy
2017	The Irish Times	922	To communicate the new beneficial ownership obligations of S.I. 560 of 2016 to companies, particularly those companies who were not on the Company Registration Office’s mailing list
2017	Independent Newspapers marketing	1,111	To communicate the new beneficial ownership obligations of S.I. 560 of 2016 to companies, particularly those companies who were not on the Company Registration Office’s mailing list
2017	The Irish Examiner	375	To communicate the new beneficial ownership obligations of S.I. 560 of 2016 to companies, particularly those companies who were not on the Company Registration Office’s mailing list
2015	Mediavest	7,182	Local Property Tax Review advertisements in Irish Times, Irish Independent and Irish Examiner
2015	Financial Times	12,300	Advertisement for the position of Governor of the Central Bank
2014	Mediavest	130	Notice re winding up of SAT/ICAROM (Insurance Corporation of Ireland) in Irish Daily Mail
2014	Public Appointments Service	2,787	Recruitment for the position of Head of International & EU Division in the Sunday Business Post and Sunday Times online
2013	Public Appointments Service	5,206	Recruitment of Chief Finance and Operations Officer in Sunday Times, Sunday Business Post, ACCA and ACA e-zine
2013	Public Appointments Service	3,796	Recruitment for position of Economist – advert in the Irish Times
2013	Brindley Advertising	687	Notices of the Official Languages Act and Scheme in Foinse
2012	Public Appointments Service	33,168	Recruitment of Chief Economist, Head of Banking Policy and Secretary General of the Department of Finance in the Sunday Times, Sunday Business Post, Irish Times and Financial Times
2012	Brindley Advertising	14,255	Notices/Advertisements re Anglo, INBS and Credit Institutions Stabilisation Act as required by EU Directive in Irish media (Irish Times and Irish Examiner)
Communications advice	Public Relations	Media interview training	and preparation
Year	Supplier	Expenditure €	Event, Campaign, or Policy
2017 & 2016	Language Communications Ltd	Net cost zero as costs being refunded by the banks.	As part of a range of competition measures agreed with the European Commission under their respective EU-Restructuring plans, AIB and Permanent TSB are required to provide funding to a public awareness campaign (such campaign to be facilitated by Ireland through an appropriate state body) to raise awareness and promote customer switching. As such the department is currently managing a contract for the provision of Research, Design and Media Buy Services (Public awareness and customer switching campaign) in retail banking markets. This is being refunded in its entirety by the two banks.
2016	Carr Communications	63,224	Following the Government decision of 13 May 2015 on mortgage arrears, the department was asked to coordinate the development and implementation of a communications strategy around the Government-funded and other available supports for borrowers in arrears. The duration of the contract was from October 2015 until June 2016. Responsibility for the mortgage arrears publicity campaign now rests with the Abhaile Mortgage Arrears Resolution Service.
2015	ICAN Ltd	50,519	Under the Action Plan for Jobs 2015, action 110 required an "advertising campaign to leverage support for and drive utilisation of the Supporting SMEs Online Tool and increase awareness of the existence of State supports for business." This advertising campaign was co-ordinated by the SME Communications Group a sub-group of the SME State Bodies Group which is chaired by the department.
2015	Carr Communications	35,038	Following the Government decision of 13 May 2015 on mortgage arrears, the department was asked to coordinate the development and implementation of a communications strategy around the Government-funded and other available supports for borrowers in arrears. The duration of the contract was from October 2015 until June 2016. Responsibility for the mortgage arrears publicity campaign now rests with the Abhaile Mortgage Arrears Resolution Service.
2014	ICAN Ltd	27,684	Creative strategy, production and burst 1 of campaign to increase awareness of the Supporting SME online tool on social media
Website Development
Year	Supplier	Expenditure €	Event, Campaign, or Policy
2015	Strata 3	3,690	Testing and review of website
2014	Strata 3	9,255	MTES Placeholder site
2014	Strata 3	16,167	Live implementation of website
2013	Strata 3	24,823	Design of Website and CMS

With respect to the eighteen bodies under the aegis of my Department, I have been advised that four have not incurred any expenditure for each of the past five years on items identified by the Deputy. These are the Credit Union Advisory Committee, the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, the Financial Services Ombudsman Council and the Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal.

It was not possible for the Central Bank of Ireland and the National Treasury Management Agency to provide the information sought in the time available and therefore I will make arrangements to provide the outstanding information in line with Standing Orders.

The remaining twelve bodies have provided the information sought and this is set out in a further table.

Table ctg.

Body	Expenditure, events, campaigns, policies	Company/person
Comptroller & Auditor General	Advertising: 2012: €2,245.36 Senior Auditor competition 2013: €3,095.01 Job advertisement 2014: €600.00 Job advertisement 2017: (to end of June) €4,305 Advertising budget Website development: 2017: (to end of June) €5,305.91 Website Development	Public Appointments Service Educate Limited Irish Jobs.ie Educate Limited Linked in Ptools software
Credit Review Office	Advertising Communications Advice: 2013: €5,123 €1,599 €170,771 2014: €3,690 €1,599 €235,048 €685 2015: €1,224 €1,599 €275,104 €3,695 €1,666 2016: €15,363 €3,198 €132,121 €178 2017: €2,460 €1,599 €116,841 None of these costs are related to a specific campaign, but in raising awareness of the Credit Review Office to target audience through the media.	Ashville The Phoenix iCan Ashville The Phoenix iCan Snap 30 Ashville The Phoenix iCan Small Firms Association RGDATA Ashville The Phoenix iCan Image Solutions Ashville The Phoenix iCan
Credit Union Restructuring Board (ReBo)	Photography: (Photography was in virtually all cases coinciding with the completion of a formal merger process) 2013: € 590.40 2014: € 1,266.90 2015: € 3,868.35 2016: €442.80 €440 2017: €150 Public Relations: (training) (PR advice / training concerned the initial launch of the organisation and also some further general assistance / advice on matters within the remit of ReBo – there was no campaign as such.) 2015: € 12,547 2017: € 15,920	Maxwell Maxwell Maxwell Maxwell Bartlomiej Szyk Bartlomiej Szyk The Communications Clinic The Communications Clinic
Financial Services Ombudsman Bureau	Photography: 2012: €150 Annual Report & Website 2013 €240 Annual Report & Website 2014: €120 Annual Report & Website 2015: €120 Annual Report & Website 2016 €418 Annual Report & Website Advertising: 2012: €394 IPA Diary €8,710 Phonebook, State Directory, Internet Listing 2013: €394 IPA Diary €8,105 Phonebook, State Directory, Internet Listing 2014: €8,104 Phonebook, State Directory, Internet Listing 2015: €394 IPA Diary €8,104 Phonebook, State Directory, Internet Listing €1,830 Recruitment Advert 2016: €197 IPA Diary €10,086 Phonebook, State Directory, Internet Listing € 3,019 Recruitment Advert € 1,622 Recruitment Advert 2017: €134 IPA Diary €7,789 Phonebook, State Directory, Internet Listing €5,001 Recruitment Advert Communications Advice: 2015: €2,091 Communication Support & Advice 2016: €7,232 Communication Support & Advice 2017: €2,405 Communication Support & Advice Public Relations: 2015: €5,123 PR Consultancy 2017: €3,137 PR Consultancy Website Development: 2013: €5,166 Redesign of website 2014: €6,593 Design online complaint form	Des McMahon Photography Des McMahon Photography Des McMahon Photography Des McMahon Photography Fennell Photography IPA FCR Media Ltd IPA FCR Media Ltd FCR Media Ltd IPA FCR Media Ltd Media Vest IPA FCR Media Ltd Media Vest Media Vest IPA FCR Media Ltd Media Vest Keating & Associates Keating & Associates Keating & Associates Keating & Associates Keating & Associates Fusio Ltd Fusio Ltd
Investor Compensation Company	Photography: 2012: €273.52 Board director portrait(s) for annual report 2013: €144.87 Board director portrait(s) for annual report 2014: €289.74 Board director portrait(s) for annual report 2015: €463.11 Board director portrait(s) for annual report 2016: €307.50 Board director portrait(s) for annual report Advertising: 2012: €23,800.67 National Press adverts for the failures of Custom House Capital Limited and Bloxham Stockbrokers as required by s.32(1)(ii) of Investor Compensation Act, 1998 2013: €8,237.33 National Press adverts for the failure of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Limited as required by s.32(1)(ii) of Investor Compensation Act, 1998 2014: €3,684.98 National Press adverts for the failure of Berehaven Credit Union Limited as required by s.32(1)(ii) of Investor Compensation Act, 1998 2016: €3,836.26 National Press adverts for the failure of Asset Management Trust Limited as required by s.32(1)(ii) of Investor Compensation Act, 1998 2017: €3,459.57 National Press adverts for the failure of Rush Credit Union as required by s.32(1)(ii) of Investor Compensation Act, 1998 Website Development: 2013: €2,269.35 Online e-invoice and dd sign-up portal 2014: €15,928.50 Redevelopment of website with customer account management portal 2015: €1,353.00 Routine enhancements 2016: €492.00 Companies Act, 2014 necessitated enhancements 2017: €6,150.00 Enhancements to customer management portal of website (incl. for GDPR purposes) Interview training and preparation: 2012: €450.00 Media Training for new CEO	Fennell Photography Fennell Photography Fennell Photography Fennell Photography Fennell Photography Brindley Advertising Brindley Advertising Brindley Advertising Brindley Advertising Brindley Advertising Dragnet Systems Limited Webtrade Limited Webtrade Limited Webtrade Limited Webtrade Limited Carr Communications Limited
Irish Bank Resolution Corporation	Communications advice: 2013: €95,848.08 Media and Communications advisory services €10,356.60 Design Layout for letterheads, customer letters etc. €49,200 Marketing consultancy services €21,830.04 Media monitoring €7,150.13 Various 2014: €109,662.50 Media and communications advisory services €18,290.10 Design Layout for letterheads, customer letters etc €25,298.45 Media monitoring €13,132.03 Various 2015: €94,513.20 Media and Communications advisory services €4,956.90 Design Layout for letterheads, customer letters etc: €6,294.58 Media monitoring: €9,909.67 Various 2016: €13,400 Media and Communications advisory services 2017 (to date): €1,000 Media and Communications advisory services Public Relations: 2014: €25,496.60 Advices on reports, media queries etc 2015: €45,775.46 Advices on reports, media queries etc: 2016: €8,266.83 Advices on reports, media queries etc 2017 (to date): €221.40 Advices on reports, media queries etc Website Development: 2013: €7,380 Website hosting and amendments to website 2014: €10,682.55 Website hosting and amendments to website €7,318.50 Software licences for website: 2015: €1,537.50 Website hosting and amendments to website €3,659.25 Software licences for website 2016: €1,958.78 Website hosting and amendments to website €10,977.75 Software licences for website 2017 (to date): €1,958.78 Website hosting and amendments to website Note: The information provided is for the period from 2013 (post liquidation) to date. Information prior to the appointment of the Special Liquidator in 2013 is not readily available and the compilation of this information would incur a significant expense given that all legacy systems are no longer operational.	FTI consulting Ireland Designbank Limited True Blue Communications Ltd Kantar Media Other FTI consulting Ireland Designbank Limited Kantar Media Other FTI consulting Ireland Designbank Limited Kantar Media Other FTI Consulting FTI Consulting Drury Porter Novelli Drury Porter Novelli Drury Porter Novelli Drury Porter Novelli Continuum Tech Continuum Tech PT Tools Continuum Tech PT Tools Continuum Tech PT Tools Continuum Tech
Irish Fiscal Advisory Council	Advertising: 2013: €553.50 Job advertising 2015: €1,160.99 Job advertising 2016: €3,003.02 Job advertising 2017 (to end of June): €349.00 Job advertising Communications advice: 2015: €2,429.48 (Peer Review)	GTI Media Ltd Warwick University GTI Media Ltd Inomics Irish Times Inomics Peer Review Group members: Lars Jonung Iain Begg Michael G Tutty
National Asset Management Agency	(NAMA’s communications team is supported by an external service provider, Gordon MRM, which provides a press office service to NAMA and to the NTMA. The costs for this external service will be included in the NTMA data. NAMA reimburses the NTMA in respect of the costs of these services attributable to NAMA.) Advertising: 2012: €4,200 Advertising Leaflets €18,400 Advertising in the Irish Times and Irish Independent re expressions of interest for “Project Wave 2013: €1,000 Advertising Leaflets Public Relations: 2012: €1,200 PR Consultancy 2016: €1,300 SDZ/Residential delivery media briefing 2017: € 857 Annual report press release Website Development: 2012: €3,300 Provision of website servers & licenses 2014: €4,800 Maintenance and development of NAMA website €18,600 Maintenance and development of NAMA website 2015: €1,400 Provision of website servers & licenses €17,700 Maintenance and development of NAMA website 2016: €4,700 Maintenance and development of NAMA website 2017: €1,722 Maintenance of NAMA Website	One Productions (W1 Design) Mediaworks One Productions (W1 Design) Stakeholders Communications Aviva Stadium Aviva Stadium Tibus Simply Zesty Room Three Design Tibus Room Three Design Room Three Design Communicraft
Office of the Revenue Commissioners	Photography: 2012: €1,373.00 Photographic Services 2017 to 30th June: €1,422 PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES Advertising 2012: €960,453 Media Agency €49,571 State Directory €33,579 Leaflet Display Brochure Display 2013: €1,421,645 Media Agency €147,579 Advertising €49,571 State Directory 2014: €1,406,538 Media Agency €49,571 State Directory €35,068 Statutory Notices 2015: €781,990 Media Agency €49,571 State Directory €39,356 Statutory Notices 2016: €889,407 Media Agency €47,025 State Directory €42,804 Leaflet Display Brochure Display 2017 (to 30th June): €519,643 Media Agency € 22,162 State Directory € 9,935 Media Agency Website development: 2016: €888,414 Revenue.ie Website redesign €114,240 Website Content Management System software €34,043 Website survey software €24,700 Visible Thread 2017: to 30th June: € 29,292 Clarity Grader Software € 24,773 MicroSoft Azure Commitment €364,244 Revenue.ie Website redesign - Information Architecture design, Search optimisation, screen template design & build, User experience & user interface design & build. Accessibility design & build. Software testing Media interview training and preparation: 2013: €10,100 Media Interview Training 2015: €450 Media Interview Training 2016: €22,632 Media Interview Training 2017 to 30th June : €1,625 Media Interview Training €492 Media Interview Training	PRESS 22 MAXWELL PHOTOGRAPHY LTD Brindley Advertising Ltd FCR media Ltd Inform Display Systems Ltd Brindley Advertising Ltd Mediavest Ireland Ltd FCR media Ltd Mediavest Ireland Ltd FCR media Ltd Iris Oifigiúil Mediavest Ireland Ltd FCR media Ltd Iris Oifigiuil Mediavest Ireland Ltd FCR media Ltd Inform Display Systems Ltd Mediavest Ireland Ltd FCR media Ltd Mediawatch Ltd Deloitte & Version 1 Zengenti Qualtrics Clarity Grader Software Deloitte, Accenture & Version 1 Visible Thread CDW UK Carr Communications Carr Communications The Communications Clinic Carr Communications The Communications Clinic
Social Finance Foundation	Photography: 2013: €159.90 Board Photo 2015: €461.25 Photos at launch of ‘Credit not Debt’ report 2016: €362.85 Board meeting with Minister Noonan Communications advice: 2014: €11,193.00 Development of Communications and Marketing Strategy 2015: €3,690.00 Launch of Annual Report and ongoing communications support €5,596.50 Development of Communications and Marketing Strategy Public Relations: 2015: € 17,378.20 Support for Personal MicroCredit Project (PMC) and promotion of social finance 2016: €34,255.50 Support for Personal MicroCredit Project (PMC) and promotion of social finance	Sherwood Photography Tommy Clancy Maxwells Photography Montague PR Q4 PR Montague PR John Gallagher John Gallagher
Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland	Photography: 2015: €180 SBCI Breakfast Conference Sheraton Athlone 2016: € 1,845 Bibby On-Lender Launch € 430.50 2015 Annual Report Launch € 184.50 Bibby On-Lender Launch € 553.50 Fexco On-Lender Launch € 255.40 Event 25.02.16 € 123.00 Tom McAleese € 698.20 SBCI event € 553.50 Bank briefing Advertising: 2015: €1,716 ISME Yearbook & Diary 2016 €3,075 Annual conference 2015 €9,225 Online portal - Guru Events € 372 Taking Care of Business Event 2015 €2,460 Conference sponsorship € 2,004.90 Ploughing Championship € 28,739.00 SBCI launch event € 19,807.00 SBCI launch campaign ATL € 818.00 SBCI business cards € 910.00 SBCI pull up banner € 5,993.00 Radio phase 2 € 10,152.00 Launch campaign RTE € 10,762.00 SBCI research €221,368.00 Media costs €1,624.00 Infographic for results announcement € 2,041.80 SBCI DL leaflet € 2,933.60 SBCI spider banners € 4,647.90 Media costs - Google IRE € 18,500.00 RTE phase 2 media € 84,685.70 SBCI phase 2 media € 855 All Ireland Business Summit € 2,979 RGDATA annual € 2,500 Sales Institute event 2016: € 3,013.50 ISME Yearbook & Diary 2017 € 4,858.50 Better Business € 3,628.50 Chambers € 2,460.00 First Citizen agri product launch € 922.50 SBCI 1 year anniversary video € 2,767.50 SBCI case study € 1,845.00 Fexco On-Lender Launch € 2,300.00 Services to May 31st 2016 € 3,751.50 Business Plus – advert € 834.00 Hotel Hire and sponsorship € 2,290.00 Castletroy park event € 3,075.00 Chartered Accountants Ireland Sponsorship € 280.00 Conference Clarion Cork € 3,000.00 DCOC Business Breakfast € 1,500.00 Finance briefing 15.02.16 €11,070.00 Online portal - Guru Event € 1,296.20 Herizon Event in RDS € 2,189.40 Ploughing Championship € 3,121.00 SBCI phase 2 media € 1,605.20 Sunday business post € 25,101.80 2016 planning € 535.10 SBCI infographic A5 leaflet € 15,437.40 SBCI research groups € 2,214.00 Additional research analysis € 504.30 Dream Small release €13,379.90 2016 Radio € 2,287.80 Radio re-record & new event € 3,078.10 Social Media Pilot € 5,676.50 Digital awareness campaign € 717.80 Media € 2,091.00 DL Brochure -copy update € 15,803.50 SBCI Media activity May - June € 68,711.00 May-June Activity - Media € 1,697.40 Waterford radio event € 695.80 SBCI keyrings € 15,034.30 Q4 Campaign Planning & Development € 3,025.00 SBCI key rings & pens € 371.00 Farbic display stand € 3,720.80 SBCI Key Rings & Pens Re-Order € 1,380.30 Digital & Social activity July & August € 1,613.00 SBCI Fabric Display Stand € 6,001.20 Digital & social activity Jul & Aug € 246.00 SBCI Chamber Diary Advert € 6,875.70 2017 Strategic Planning € 2,244.80 Q4 planning analysis € 66,094.20 Radio & Digital € 600.00 Kilashee House Hotel event € 2,000.00 Mid-West Funding for Business € 289.70 Burratty Castle venue € 1,599.00 ISME National Conference € 3,075.00 Conference sponsorship € 399.80 Seminars General Sponsorship € 4,821.60 AD in special SME supplement - Money Plus € 1,808.10 Annual conference report € 575.00 Wexford Business Expo 2016 € 123.00 Finance expo € 132.30 Business Expo 2016 € 1,230.00 BizExpo – Citiwest € 2,445.38 Ploughing Championship Website Development: 2015: € 10,531 Web Development € 7,688 Web and content plan 2016: € 3,653.10 Website updates € 8,769.90 Design Concepts & Web Development	Molloy Photography Ballywire Media Fennell Photography Fennell Photography Fennell Photography Fennell Photography Fennell Photography Fennell Photography Fennell Photography Ashville Media Group Chartered Accountants Ireland Fund SME c/o Guru Expos & Events Ltd Health & Safety Authority IBEC LIMITED Irish International Irish International Irish International Irish International Irish International Irish International Irish International Irish International Irish International Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Mespil Solutions RGDATA The Sales Institute ASHVILLE MEDIA GROUP LTD ASHVILLE MEDIA GROUP LTD ASHVILLE MEDIA GROUP LTD Ballywire Media Ballywire Media Ballywire Media Ballywire Media Berkely Research Group BUSINESS PLUS Carlow Chamber of Commerce Castletroy Hotel CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS IRELAND Clarion Hotel Dublin Chamber of Commerce Dublin Chamber of Commerce Fund SME c/o Guru Expos & Events Limited Herizon Irish International Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Irish international Network Ireland Shannon Chamber of Commerce Shannon Chamber of Commerce The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association The Sunday Business Post The Sunday Business Post Wexford Chamber of Commerce Wexford Chamber of Commerce Wexford Chamber of Commerce Whatswhat.ie WRC Irish International Irish International Point Blank Digital RED DOG DESIGN
Tax Appeals Commission	Advertising: 2016: €5,596.50 National Newspaper Adverts Website Development: 2016: €7,448.57 Developed a website	Mediavest Webtrade Ltd.