Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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274. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her Department has plans to run an advertising campaign to promote the uptake of the family income supplement in 2016; the expected cost; have any similar campaigns been initiated in the past four years; and if she will provide details of same. [38331/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Family income supplement (FIS) is designed to provide support for employees on low earnings with families.

The Department avails of every opportunity in its engagement with employers and jobseekers to build awareness of the availability of FIS and how this payment may benefit potential employees with children.The increasing numbers of families in receipt of FIS is testament to the effectiveness of the Department’s information strategy for the scheme and the significant improvements in customer service and processing times for FIS customers.

The Department's web site www.welfare.iehas full information on the FIS scheme and provides typical family scenarios to aid understanding and provide comparisons. This information is also available in all the Department local offices, CICs and information offices.

In addition a series of road-shows have also been held around the country designed to inform employers about the wide range of employment support services provided by the Department, including FIS. Case Officers in each locality will specifically use FIS as an incentive to move people from the long-term Live Register to employment.

The Department’s Benefit of Work ready reckoner gives an indication of the difference between a person’s potential in-work payment, including FIS, and current out-of-work payments.

The Department also launched a poster advertisement campaign in its Intreo centres and local offices nationwide during 2014 and 2015. The cost of this campaign was €2,530 in 2014 and €2,000 in 2015.

The Department has also recently been in touch with Trade Unions representing in excess of 260,000 employees (in both the Public and Private Sector) and provided them with an article on FIS for inclusion in their publications for members. This article explains in detail the qualification conditions for the scheme and gives relevant supporting examples of families that could qualify.

FIS was also publicised as part of jobs week which ran from the 28 September 2015 to 2 October 2015.

The Department will continue to promote FIS in targeted and cost-effective ways in 2016.