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Departmental Advertising Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 December 2018

Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Questions (596, 597)

Barry Cowen

Question:

596. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount spent on social media by her Department in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; the projected spend in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53986/18]

View answer

Barry Cowen

Question:

597. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount spent on marketing and media by her Department in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; the projected spend in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54003/18]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 596 and 597 together.

I am advised that there was no expenditure by my Department in respect of social media in 2016. In 2017 expenditure of €64,167 was incurred in respect of social media relating to the Creative Ireland programme. This arose from a comprehensive citizen engagement programme to showcase the range and depth of Ireland's cultural and creative offering and to encourage participation in arts and creative activities as a means of individual, collective and societal well-being. The vision of the Creative Ireland Programme is that every person in Ireland should have the opportunity to realise their full creative potential. This represents a new approach to creativity and cultural policy and therefore required a sustained communications programme in 2017. A combination of approaches and platforms were used to maximise impact, taking account of the diversity of the target audiences. For further information on expenditure please see website on

Creative Ireland

The Cruinniú na nÓg regional radio and social media cost of €48,780 was for a four week campaign from mid-May to mid-June 2018 to promote the 500 events taking place across the country as part of the inaugural Cruinniu na nOg day of creativity for children and young people. Three bespoke videos were produced to support and raise awareness of Cruinniú na nÓg - Ireland's new national day of Creativity for children and young people - at a cost of €24,815.

In addition to promoting interest in specific initiatives such as Cruinniú na nÓg, social media is also actively used to support and promote the Creative Ireland Programme generally as well as specific creative endeavours and partner activities. During 2018, specific short videos were also commissioned to promote various aspects or pillars of the Creative Ireland Programme. These included a specially commissioned spoken word piece by Stephen James Smith to mark the publication of 31 Local Authority Culture and Creativity Strategies in September accompanied by five short videos to illustrate the breadth and range of activities supported by the local authority Creative Ireland Programmes; and a video to mark the roll out of the Creative Schools initiative in 150 schools nationwide, in partnership with the Arts Council and the Department of Education and Skills.

All these videos are available at https://www.creativeireland.gov.ie/en.

A full breakdown of all costs in 2018 in relation to these activities will be published on the Creative Ireland website The following table summarises the above mentioned expenditures.

Creative Ireland Expenditure Summary

2018

-

-

Cruinniú na nÓg

Regional radio & social media campaign

€48,780

3 Cruinniú na nÓg videos

€24,815

Creative Ireland Programme

Social Media content - uploading of articles daily throughout 2018

€66,420

12 videos

€93,110

A similar level of expenditure is expected in 2019.

I am also advised that the Culture Ireland Unit has this year engaged Mr. Nik Quaife on a 1 year contract for the provision of services including a communications strategy for its GB18 programme, to celebrate and renew Ireland’s cultural relationship with Britain. The total value of this contract is €50,000, with expenditure to date of €47,800.

The Department has also engaged D’Arcy Marketing and BigO at a cost of €17,466 and €6,125 respectively to promote awareness of the 2018 European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) campaign for the recruitment of Irish language translators to the institutions of the European Union.

Value for money is a critical consideration at all times in assessing whether external firms should be engaged to provide services of this nature.

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