Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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66. To ask the Taoiseach the amount spent on social media advertising and online promoted content (details supplied) in 2018 and to date in 2019, by campaign and social media platform used. [11128/19]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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67. To ask the Taoiseach if he has engaged and-or consulted with a public relations online advertising agency regarding social media advertising and online promoted content in 2018 and to date in 2019; and the amount spent by company. [11145/19]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 67 together.

A decision was taken in 2017 to fund and run cross-Government public information programmes centrally. As a result of this, in the period between Quarter 4 of 2017 and July 2018, a number of public information campaigns, aimed at improving citizens' lives, such as the Healthy Ireland campaign, the Project Ireland 2040 campaign and the Self-Employed Benefits campaign were run and funded from my Department. This was a departure in approach from previous years, when such campaigns would have been led and funded by the relevant line Department. Since July 2018, the Department has reverted to the previous model.

The purchase of digital and online space is managed through a media-buying company contracted to the Department, PHD Media. The spend on the purchase of digital and online space in 2018 was €437,347.50. This expenditure relates to the major cross-Government public information campaigns that the Department funded centrally during 2018. Over 75% of this expense was incurred prior to July 2018, before changes were made. No cost has been incurred in 2019 for the purchase of digital and online space to date.

Purchasing digital and online space includes advertising on search engines (to ensure the public is directed to the sites that deliver the services they are looking for) and social media. Social media relates to sponsored posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube to ensure effective dissemination of information.

Please find attached the breakdown of the spend on the purchase of digital and online space by campaign in 2018