Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

52. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount she spent on media clipping and media monitoring services in each calendar year from 2011 to 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3831/16]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Department of Social Protection’s media monitoring covers the Department’s entire range of schemes and services. Following a Request for Tenders by the Department for the provision of a media monitoring service a new contract was entered into in October 2012. The enhanced media monitoring service under this new contract includes daily notices of ‘situation vacant’ advertisements in national and local newspapers, which are used by the Department’s staff in supporting jobseekers in their efforts to find work.

Employment activation is now a key strategy of the Department of Social Protection. Every effort is being made to ensure that jobseekers are equipped with the skills to get back into the workforce and are enabled to find work suitable to their skills. The officials who work in employment activation can now access all job vacancies in their geographical areas in every Regional as well as National newspaper.

The expenditure by the Department on media clipping and media monitoring services from 2011-2015 is set out in the chart below.