Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2018
145. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the communications, press and public relations budget allocated to his Department for 2018; the way in which it is being spent; if it is behind or ahead of profile; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39373/18]
View answerThe Communications Unit of my Department provides support to me in my capacity as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and to my Minister of State colleagues at the Department and at wider Government and State levels on all issues affecting Irish interests that have an international communications/ public diplomacy dimension. It is also tasked with strengthening the abilities of my Department and Ireland’s network of over 80 diplomatic missions abroad to deliver our communication and public diplomacy goals on behalf of Ireland. This incorporates communication with Irish citizens on the role, services and activities of the Department and diplomatic missions, as well as enhancing public awareness and understanding of Ireland's aid programme, Irish Aid, and of global development issues.
Key priorities for my Department’s Communications Unit in this regard include:
Updating and maintenance of almost 90 Departmental websites, including those relating to Brexit, the Global Irish Hub, the Africa Ireland Economic Forum and Irish
Aid and of Ireland’s diplomatic missions abroad;
Design and production of publications and other forms of content for web and social media outreach by the Department and our diplomatic missions abroad;
Public outreach initiatives / events, including Africa Day and participation by my Department in the National Ploughing Championships; and
Support to Irish and international media in the context of high-level inward visits to Ireland, including that by Pope Francis in August.
In this connection, the overall budget for press relations, web and digital and public outreach activities as allocated to the Communications Unit of my Department in 2018 is €1.145 million. To date 66.3% of the above-mentioned overall budget amount has been spent, with payment commitments of a further 6.1% currently pending. I am therefore satisfied that the budget is ‘on profile’, with 27.6% remaining for the last quarter of 2018.
