Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 May 2021
342. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has engaged a third-party company to date in 2021 to conduct online and or social media monitoring and or provide reports on social media coverage of her Department; if so, the cost of same; and the name of the social media platforms being monitored. [25794/21]
View answerEffective communication with the public and stakeholders is essential in achieving the Department’s goals. My Department uses social media to promote the wide range of schemes and programmes operated under its auspices and it uses digital content services to support engagement with citizens and communities across Ireland. My Department does not generally engage third party companies to conduct online and or social media monitoring and/or provide reports on social media coverage of my Department, and the only exception to this is the Creative Ireland programme, which has a strong citizen engagement element that requires extensive use of digital platforms.
The Creative Ireland Programme in my Department is a culture-based, all-of-government initiative to place creativity at the centre of public policy and public life. The Programme uses digital platforms to support citizen engagement, principally through the Creative Ireland website and social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram). As part of a wide range of digital services, online analysis and evaluation of public engagement with its digital creative content on these social media platforms forms part of the Programme’s digital strategy. This performance analysis is a standard feedback element of a digital content strategy and is undertaken in order to inform the future development and delivery of citizen engagement programmes that will enhance and encourage the public’s access and participation in creative initiatives, projects and events. This activity is supported by a third party company contracted by my Department.
