Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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270. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the full cost for the Creative Ireland supplement that ran in a magazine (details supplied) for 12 weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53301/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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271. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of weeks the Creative Ireland double page spread in a newspaper (details supplied) ran and is planned to run; the weekly cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53302/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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272. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the dates on which two Creative Ireland supplements were contained in a newspaper (details supplied); the full cost of the feature; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53303/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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273. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the identity of the regional newspapers and radio stations in and on which Creative Ireland advertising features were run; the cost of each feature in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53304/17]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 to 273, inclusive, together.

The Creative Ireland Programme is a culture-based programme designed to promote individual, community and national well-being and has citizen engagement at the heart of it.  The core proposition is that participation in cultural activity drives personal and collective creativity, with significant implications for individual and societal well-being and achievement.  As with any new Programme, it takes time to develop and mobilise.  The expenditure set out in Table 1 contributed to an overall effort to provide information to citizens and to engage with as broad an audience as possible.  The Table sets out all costs associated with all publications referred to in the questions and the circulation dates as requested:

Table 1

As the Deputy will be aware the Creative Ireland  Programme is embedded throughout the 31 local authority areas in Ireland. The regional media campaign reinforced and  promoted the extensive work being undertaken by the local authorities as part of the Creative Ireland Programme, using both print and radio broadcasting to make it as inclusive and accessible as possible.

The following tables detail both the regional print and regional radio broadcast media which were used as part of our citizen engagement measures:

Table 2

Table 3

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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274. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the expenditure of the €0.4 million allocated to the development and promotion of www.ireland.ie and www.creativeireland.gov.ie; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53305/17]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The development of the two informative and high quality websites - and - is essential to the long-term successful promotion and aims of the Creative Ireland Programme, including Pillar 5 which aims to unify Ireland's global reputation abroad. This is particularly relevant now in the context of Brexit

A sum €0.4m was originally allocated for the development, maintenance and promotion of these two websites. However, this sum was subsequently increased to €0.6m to account for the specially curated and extensive range of digital content commissioned to populate both websites and associated social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). This content has been used in particular to enhance the Ireland.ie website which aims to present a broad, compelling and inspiring image of Ireland.

The breakdown of expenditure to date in respect of the above websites is as follows: 

- Website Development (layout, content production and graphic design) - €192,000

- Digital Content Creation and promotion - €391,000

The creation and dissemination of this content has proved very successful in meeting the aims of the Creative Ireland programme to provide information to citizens and to engage with as broad an audience as possible.  For example some of the most viewed videos on the Creative Ireland Facebook page (not including Twitter) include Cruinniú na Cásca (67k views), Oireachtas na Samhna (45k views), Electric Picnic (88k views), Local Authority Workshops (63k views), St Patrick's Festival (107k views). The "This is Ireland" video has attracted over 2m views on Facebook and Twitter  in Ireland and abroad.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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275. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department is continuing to finance the cost of the event co-ordinator of the Creative Ireland programme project who is seconded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53306/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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276. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department is continuing to finance the cost of the director of the Creative Ireland programme project who is seconded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53307/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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277. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the director of the Creative Ireland programme project will return from secondment and or be replaced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53308/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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278. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the event co-ordinator of the Creative Ireland programme project will return from secondment and or be replaced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53309/17]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 to 278, inclusive, together.

Both the former Director of Creative Ireland Programme and the former event co-ordinator referred to in the question were seconded to my Department from Fáilte Ireland. They have since been seconded from Fáilte Ireland to the Department of An Taoiseach.  This Department no longer covers the costs relating to these posts and any issues in relation to the term of the secondments are a matter between the Department of the Taoiseach and Fáilte Ireland.

My Department has advertised for the position of Director of the Creative Ireland Programme through the public Appointments Service and the recruitment process is ongoing.  All other duties relating to the event co-ordinator are currently being managed within existing resources.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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279. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the names of the two contract staff in the Creative Ireland programme project; the remuneration of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53310/17]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Department ran an open competition on e-tenders for the provision of

- the supply of services to include the supply, design and implementation of communication strategies and other services as required by the Creative Ireland Programme.  MB Arts International won this contract; and

- the supply of services to include the development and management of external partner relationships, such as with local authorities, National Cultural Institutions, etc., and other services as required on behalf of Creative Ireland. Panikos Consulting won this contract.

These services are provided on a daily cost basis and to end November the total costs incurred for the provision of these services was €175,757. 

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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280. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the details of the €50,000 miscellaneous costs associated with the Creative Ireland programme project office in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53311/17]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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A provision for miscellaneous costs was initially included in the Creative Ireland Programme administrative budget as a matter of course to cover any unforeseen costs. However, no such costs have been incurred to date under this provision.  

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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281. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the details of the €50,000 travel and subsistence costs associated with the Creative Ireland programme project office in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53312/17]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by my Department's Creative Ireland Programme Office to date this year relate to expenses involved in carrying out their everyday responsibilities in accordance with the rates specified in DPER circulars relating to domestic subsistence allowances and subsistence allowances abroad. 

Expenses relate to a range of activities associated with the Creative Ireland programme including engagement with Government Departments and public bodies, international engagement under Pillar V of the programme and the extensive consultation programme which was undertaken nationwide earlier this year as part of Pillar II. This involved workshops which were held with all thirty-one local authorities (in some instances more than one workshop in individual counties) in respect of their Culture and Creative Plans for 2017, setting up Culture Teams in each county, launches of individual county plans, and planning for long-term Culture and Creative Strategies among other events.