Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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906. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount spent by his Department on third party public relations advice, communications advice, online advertising and public awareness campaigns from January 2017 to date in 2018, by year, month and company engaged in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11773/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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My Department was established on 19 July 2017. I can confirm that my Department has not spent any funding on third party public relations advice, communications advice, online advertising or public awareness campaigns since the date of its establishment.

However, in tandem with the Seniors Alert Scheme which launched on 1 November 2017, a nationwide public awareness campaign was rolled out, in partnership with Pobal, to increase a greater level of awareness, interest and participation in the scheme. The costs associated with the Pobal managed campaign were incorporated into my Department's Service Level Agreement with Pobal, as part of the overall cost of Pobal's services in relation to the Scheme.