Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 June 2021

Thursday, 17 June 2021

Questions (289, 290, 291)

Alan Kelly

Question:

289. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount his Department and associated agencies have spent on social media advertising since the beginning of January 2021 until 12 June 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32616/21]

Alan Kelly

Question:

290. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount his Department has spent on social media content production since the beginning of January 2021 until 12 June 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32633/21]

Alan Kelly

Question:

291. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount his Department and all associated agencies have spent on public relations consultancy costs since January 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32650/21]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 289, 290 and 291 together.

The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned and are not collated or retained by my Department.

Arrangements have been put in place by each organisation to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The relevant contact email address for each organisation, to which members may address queries, are set out in the following table:

An Bord Pleanála	[e-mail]
An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum)	[e-mail]
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum	[e-mail]
Ervia	[e-mail]
Gas Networks Ireland	[e-mail]
Heritage Council	[e-mail]
Housing Finance Agency	[e-mail]
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency	[e-mail]
Irish Water	[e-mail]
Land Development Agency	[e-mail]
Local Government Management Agency	[e-mail]
National Oversight and Audit Commission	[e-mail]
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee	[e-mail]
Office of the Planning Regulator	[e-mail]
Ordnance Survey Ireland	[e-mail]
Property Registration Authority	[e-mail]
Pyrite Resolution Board	[e-mail]
Residential Tenancies Board	[e-mail]
Valuation Office	[e-mail]
Valuation Tribunal	[e-mail]
Water Advisory Body	[e-mail]
Waterways Ireland	[e-mail]

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

My Department recognises the role of social media (and advertising on it) in creating awareness of campaigns among certain cohorts of the public that rely on social media for information. My Department will continue to use social media on an ongoing basis to communicate policies, schemes and Departmental work. My Department did not incur any expenditure on third party public relations advice or communications advice during the period in question. The engagement of external expertise is generally only considered where the issues involved require expert skills or capabilities that are not readily available within my Department. Social media content is generally produced in-house by my officials.

Since January 2021 my Department has spent €613.69 on social media advertising. The following amounts have been spent on video production for use on social media. These videos will continue to be used to inform all my Department’s stakeholders, including schools, agencies and visitors to the Custom House of the work and history of my Department.

Live Stream remembrance event for the centenary of the Burning of the Custom House as part of the State’s Decade of Centenaries programme	€9,234.50
Production of documentary on the Burning of the Custom House as part of the State’s Decade of Centenaries programme	€7,373.85
Content for Winter Solstice at Newgrange	€2,858.63
Video Content highlighting the role and importance of our National Parks, particularly during periods of lockdown	€6,725.64
Total	€26,192.62

Question No. 290 answered with Question No. 289.

Question No. 291 answered with Question No. 289.