Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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188. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount that his Department has spent on social media training and consultancy in each year since 2016. [14572/18]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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189. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if training has been delivered in his Department on the use of social media (details supplied); the frequency and cost of this training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14588/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 188 and 189 together.

There has been no training delivered on the use of social media in my Department and no costs have been incurred on social media training or consultancy since 2016. One member of staff in the Department's press office attended an event entitled “Campaigning for NGOs” hosted by a social media company in May 2017. Three members of staff in the press office attended a training session entitled “Mobile Journalism Techniques” hosted by Department of An Taoiseach in January 2018. There were no costs associated with either of these training sessions.

All new members of staff in my Department attend a half-day induction programme. As part of this programme, staff members are informed of their responsibilities under the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviours, including a discussion on the appropriate use of social media in the context of their work and their obligations as civil servants.