Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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645. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the communications, press and public relations budget allocated to her Department for 2018; the way in which it is being spent; if it is behind or ahead of profile; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39368/18]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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648. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount spent by her 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [39635/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 645 and 648 together.

There is no specific allocation within my Department‘s Vote for communications, press and public relations. These functions are primarily carried out by the Department’s Press & Information Office, the costs of which are met from my Department’s Administrative Budget in the usual manner.

My Department also engages in specifically focused communications campaigns from time to time. The Culture Ireland Unit has earlier this year engaged Mr. Nik Quaife on a 1 year contract for the provision of services including a communications strategy for its GB18 programme, to celebrate and renew Ireland’s cultural relationship with Britain. The total value of this contract is €50,000, with expenditure to date of €26,800.

The Creative Ireland Programme undertakes targeted citizen engagement programmes to get people involved in cultural and creative activity right across the country. I am advised that approximately €400,000 has been allocated from the Creative Ireland Programme Budget in 2018 in relation to public engagement and commissioning digital content. Expenditure to date in this regard is in the order of €177,000. MB Arts International have been engaged on a two year contract to provide a range of contract services including citizen engagement and building partnerships. Expenditure to date in this regard is €58,000.

The above mentioned expenditure is summarized in the following table.