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Strategic Communications Unit

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 February 2018

Wednesday, 7 February 2018

Ceisteanna (15, 16, 17)

Micheál Martin

Ceist:

15. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach the budget in his Department for social media. [4325/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

16. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the budget in his Department for social media. [5419/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

17. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach his Department's budget for social media. [5520/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (11 píosaí cainte)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 17, inclusive, together.

As part of the modernisation of Government communications there is greater use of social media. Four campaigns undertaken by the strategic communications unit in 2017 had an informational video component which was promoted on social media including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter at a total cost of €21,895.

It is not possible at this stage to give an overall budget figure for social media. Spend in this area is dictated by the scale, frequency and nature of campaigns. The use of social media, as with all media, plays an important role in communicating to our citizens the work of the Government and the services to which they are entitled. For example, a video explaining the extension of optical and dental treatment benefits to the self employed was viewed 283,370 times. There has since been a significant increase in optical and dental treatment benefit uptake, with approximately 227,000 claims made in November and December 2017 and €15 million of benefit paid.

The use of social media forms part of the unit's work on priority cross-Government initiatives that impact on the lives of citizens for the better. Its focus is to streamline communications by working with other Departments to deliver on priority cross-Government campaigns.

I did not realise we spent so long on the previous questions. The Taoiseach gave a very lengthy answer to them.

What is the social media budget of the Department of the Taoiseach? In a reply given yesterday by the Taoiseach on a similar issue, he denied that he had any knowledge of market research being conducted by his Department. According to the Official Report, he said, "if any market research has been done, I have not seen it". I have since checked the record and it confirmed that on 22 November he had full knowledge of that research when he discussed it in the House. He was aware of its approach and gave a commitment at the time that it would be published and made available. According to the Supplementary Estimate he sought for his Department, the research was due to be paid for last year. Journalists were informed that the strategic communications unit made a presentation to Cabinet the week after the Dáil rose for Christmas. Why would the Taoiseach deny knowledge of something he had already discussed in detail and why was he so eager to distance himself from a unit he established, the head of which he chooses and for which he got €5 million to spend? The Taoiseach likes to present an image of candour during questions in the Dáil but this shows a very different approach. I remind him that he and the Secretary General of his Department justified this market research by saying it was designed to shape the Government's new advertising campaigns. These campaigns are under way but the promised publication of the research, which was to be the background to any campaign being initiated, has not occurred. When will that be done?

I am not against the Taoiseach using social media and nor is anyone else. The issue is whether public money is being used to promote the political work of the Taoiseach. He and his Secretary General assured Members that the public money being diverted to pay for advertising would solely address public information, which is the right thing to do. Promoting speeches and statements by the Taoiseach represents an unprecedented abuse of public money. I ask the Taoiseach to give us an assurance that he will instruct that no money is to be spent on advertising that does not clearly and solely concern objective public information.

Our concern is that additional resources are being spent on a strategic communications unit that is designed to burnish Fine Gael's involvement in government for political purposes. Has an extra allocation of €900,000 been made to the Department of the Taoiseach for additional staff in the context of this communications campaign in addition to the €5 million added in the budget for this year? If one adds in the additional social media spend that the Taoiseach identified in terms of use of social media for messages and so on, it appears that it will now cost a minimum of €6 million this year to fund this unit which seems to many Members to be doing the kind of political messages for which political parties receive a political party and leader's allowance separate from administering Departments and the Government as a whole.

It is logical that any Government or political organisation would use alternative media such as social media to reach those who are hardest to reach. However, like Deputies Burton and Micheál Martin, the establishment of the strategic communications unit has raised questions for me about the use of spin over substance. What steps has the Taoiseach taken to ensure that the role of the strategic communications unit, including the increased use of social media, is open and transparent and that it is not used as a propaganda tool for the benefit of a political party or parties that are in government?

As I have explained to Deputies before, in response to their concerns I have removed myself from any direct involvement in the work of the strategic communications unit, and that goes for funding, staffing, the placing of advertisements or tenders and so on. It is very much under the control of the Secretary General of my Department and the director of the unit.

With regard to the specific point raised by Deputy Micheál Martin, I must have forgotten about it. I would not have put something on the record of the Dáil in November only to then deliberately seek to tell mistruths about it.

I alerted the Taoiseach to it yesterday.

I did check with my Secretary General yesterday. The provision of research and insight services was tendered and the award was given to Behaviours & Attitudes. As this work is still ongoing, the final results are not yet available. They will, however, be published in late spring as we previously committed to.

The point of the research was to inform what campaigns were to happen. The Taoiseach went ahead with the campaign in advance of any research.

Will the Taoiseach tell the House about the €900,000?

The Taoiseach is not telling the truth to the House.

The Deputy will have to raise it again.

Written Answers are published on the Oireachtas website.
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