Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 December 2019
112. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the expenses incurred by his Department to date in 2019 for the implementation of ongoing communications strategy initiatives that highlight schemes and programmes operated under the auspices of his Department, including advertising and promotion on television, radio, newspapers and online in tabular form; and the level of expenditure for each such initiative. [52119/19]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade engages in public awareness advertising campaigns where there is important information that needs to be brought to the attention of the public. In that regard, two significant campaigns took place in 2019 and will be ongoing in 2020; the new “Passport Online” campaign and the “Getting Ireland Brexit Ready” campaign.
In the case of the former, the objective is to build continual awareness of the Online Passport Service for Irish citizens, which is now expanding to include children and first time adult applications. This campaign has a multi-faceted approach, including promotion on social media platforms, national and regional print and broadcast media, and outdoor advertising. Expenditure to date in 2019 on this campaign is approximately €564,000.
Expenditure on the “Getting Ireland Brexit Ready” Public Information campaign was approximately €1.5 million in 2019. While the costs of the 2019 campaign were borne by my Department, this is a whole of Government campaign prepared and executed in partnership with other Government Departments and Agencies, in particular, the Department of the Taoiseach. The public information campaign will continue pending the outcome of the General Election in the United Kingdom and subsequent political developments and decisions. Campaign details and projected expenditure in this area will be made available once those plans have been finalised.
