Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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501. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the communications, press and public relations budget allocated to his Department for 2018; the way in which it is being spent; if it is behind or ahead of profile; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39367/18]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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510. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount spent by his Department on third party public relations advice, communications advice, online advertising and public awareness campaigns to date in 2018, by month and company engaged in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39634/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 501 and 510 together.

My Department's remit includes complex policy areas, oversight of State regulation and service provision across key strategic services such as energy, environment, climate change and public broadcasting, as well as regulation of sectors such as mining and hydrocarbon exploration. Given the technical complexity, economic significance and community interest in these areas, there is a requirement to disseminate information and to address specific issues as they arise. My Department therefore necessarily incurs some expenditure on third party public relations and communications advice, online advertising and public awareness campaigns from time to time.

In procuring these services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and to keep expenditure to the minimum necessary. Expenditure on communications, press and public relations falls under the Department's various administrative and programme budgets and is not profiled as a single expenditure item.

The information requested in relation to expenditure to date in 2018 is set out in tabular format in the following link: