Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

In July 2008, the Minister for Finance said all expenditure by Department and State agencies on consultancies, advertising and public relations contracts would be cut by at least 50%. I note radio advertisements costing over €23,000 were recently put out by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government announcing the special protection of seven areas in County Dublin. This was one of several campaigns run by his Department which has spent over €3 million on advertising in 2009 alone.

Were these contracts, and others like them, approved by the public relations contracts committee? Is there ever an evaluation of media advertising campaigns as to their impact, how many people were reached, whether they made sense to people or had consequential benefits? Has the public relations committee any capacity to evaluate the effect and the value for money of advertising campaigns carried out by Ministers, Ministers of State and Departments?

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