Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 253: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of media campaigns which involved broadcast, print and any other media, undertaken by his Department in 2009; the allocated cost of each campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43660/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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My Department carries out a number of media campaigns relevant to its remit, in order to promote awareness and behaviour change or to provide information. Details of media campaigns undertaken in 2009 along with the associated costs are set out in the following table. In addition to such campaigns, my Department routinely advertises in newspapers and on radio for various statutory purposes and for public information, for example, notification in regard to Special Protection Areas and the Register of Electors.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason for a broadcast media campaign for the raising of awareness of special designation areas along coastal areas in view of the fact that all affected landowners were contacted directly; the person who drafted and approved the text of the broadcast advert; the cost of the campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43661/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Radio and newspaper advertisements were recently placed to notify the public of the proposed designation of seven Special Protection Areas in coastal areas of County Dublin. In addition, affected landowners that were readily identifiable were notified directly. This approach is the standard procedure when any candidate Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area or Natural Heritage Area is proposed for designation, and is a statutory requirement under the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations, 1997, and the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000. It serves to ensure that as many landowners as possible, along with other potentially affected parties, are fully informed of the Minister's intentions and the implications of the proposed designation.

The format of the advertisement is standardised but adapted to the specifics of the sites in question. Content is drafted by my Department and agreed by me as part of my approval of the proposed designations. Every effort is made to minimise the costs involved, and this is achieved by grouping designations for the purposes of advertising. In this case, the cost of the broadcast advertising was just under €23,000 for these seven sites.