Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

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.

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