Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 November 2019
331. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount spent on public relations, promotion and advertising, including multi-media, in her Department in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019 (details supplied) in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48245/19]
View answerThe Department is fully committed to ensuring that members of the public are fully aware of the wide range of welfare supports and services that are available to them and informed of any changes which may affect them. This is especially important when new schemes and services are being launched by my Department. Recent examples include Parents Benefit, Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self Employed and the increase in online services available at MyWelfare.ie.
For the purpose of this response, I have interpreted “the amount spent on promotion and advertising” as including the costs incurred from the media buying aspect of public information campaigns, including media buying expenditure relating to announcements or the advertisement of senior management vacancy notices.
The Department works with a media buying agency to ensure that our advertising is targeted appropriately through the best mix of available media to ensure that the Department’s messages effectively reach the public and the target audience. The Department’s public information/advertising campaigns can include a mix of channels including national and regional print media, national and regional radio advertising, outdoor advertising, and digital and social media advertising.
All advertising expenditure undertaken by the Department is tendered for in accordance with Government and EU procurement guidelines, including use of framework agreements from the Office of Government Procurement.
Total promotion/advertising expenditure in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 to date are set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Total Advertising Expenditure |
|
2016 |
€87,642.92 |
|
2017 |
€839,102.66 |
|
2018 |
€415,662.31 |
|
2019 |
€661,493.58* |
*Invoiced to 18 November 2019
All other communications related expenditure is detailed in the following table.
This expenditure includes the creative design and production costs related to advertising campaign design, the development of content in accessible formats including sign language, subtitled video and braille, production of explainer videos for use online, the development of a suite of plain English customer publications, participation at key national events to provide customer information including the National Ploughing Championships and Pregnancy and Baby Events, costs relating to internal communications and video production.
|
Year |
Other Communication Expenditure |
|
2016 |
€92,987.06 |
|
2017 |
€312,038.79 |
|
2018 |
€327,726.31 |
|
2019 |
€288,427.63* |
*Invoiced to 18 November 2019
No public relations expenditure was incurred by my Department in 2016, 2017, 2018 or 2019 to date.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
