Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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518. To ask the Minister for Health the level of expenditure by his Department from 1 January 2017 to date in 2017 on advertising of Government information campaigns published specifically in national and regional newspapers in addition to all online advertising for all such government information campaigns; the name for each such information campaign to which this expenditure related; the cost of each, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54278/17]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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519. To ask the Minister for Health the level of expenditure by his Department or organisations under the aegis of his department from 1 January 2017 to date in 2017 on photography, advertising, communications advice, public relations, website development, media interview training and preparation; the events, campaigns or policies to which this expenditure related; the company or person to which such payments were made, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54294/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 518 and 519 together.

The full information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available, I will collate this information and provide a comprehensive response to the Deputy in due course.

Details in relation to newspaper advertising expenditure on public consultations held during 2017 are presented as follows:

The Department also engaged the services of Hume Brophy during 2017 for Public Relations and Communications support regarding Ireland's bid for the European Medicines Agency. The cost was €114,491. It is the policy in my Department only to engage the services of external consultants where it is felt to be appropriate and cost-effective, taking account of Government decisions and policy on the matter.

I have referred the question to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy in relation to its expenditure on photography, advertising, communications advice, public relations, website development, media interview training and preparation. Details for other bodies under the aegis of the Department are operational matters for the bodies concerned and the Deputy should contact the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar directly.