Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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95. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total costs incurred by his Department arising from the placing of advertisements with the national broadcaster, RTÉ, in any format, for each of the years 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52164/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs uses public awareness campaigns primarily to promote essential services to citizens at home and abroad such as passport and consular services. In recent years, public awareness campaigns in relation to COVID-19 travel restrictions and Brexit have formed a significant part of advertising costs.

As with other Government Departments, the Department of Foreign Affairs engages the services of a third-party media agency (PHD Media) for the purposes of advertisement placement and reaching audiences across a range of mediums including digital advertising, print media, radio, outdoor and TV.

The vast majority of the Department’s spend on advertising and public awareness campaigns is conducted through this agency with the aim of maximising the audience reach, without direct engagement or financial transactions with media organisations such as RTÉ.

The below figures represent the costs of advertising activity, conducted via this third party agency, placed with RTÉ channels (TV, radio, internet) that took place within each of the relevant calendar years.

RTÉ spend 2016 to date: