Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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63. To ask the Taoiseach if the Government Information Service, GIS, and other officials and advisers in his Department are co-ordinating the Government of Ireland social media messages or videos; if not, if they feed into another Department; and the process in relation to same. [15380/19]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Taoiseach the way in which his Departmental officials have been contributing to and taking part in Government of Ireland social media messages; the way in which they are co-ordinated in each of the policy areas of his Department; and the Department that is the lead Department in relation to same. [15413/19]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 65 together.

MerrionStreet, operated from Government Information Service in my Department, has social media accounts across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. These channels are used daily to communicate news from across Government on a broad range of subjects depending on developments on any particular day. The channels provide text, photographic and video coverage of news and events from Government buildings and other Government departments. Most Departments have Twitter accounts.

The Merrionstreet account retweets communications from those accounts and, in turn, is frequently retweeted by those accounts where the information is relevant to a particular department.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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64. To ask the Taoiseach if his Department has undertaken procurement processes in relation to consultancy agencies, media or otherwise, to assist it with formulating or contributing to policy messaging on social media or videos relating to his departmental strategies or policies. [15396/19]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Five tenders for external specialist advice were issued in Autumn 2017, and a further two tenders issued in 2018. Procurement for five of these contracts was overseen by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). In line with public procurement, one tender, in respect of identity, was managed by my Department as the estimated cost for services was under the €25,000 threshold. The GIS attends meetings of the Department of The Taoiseach Procurement Group and ensures that all procurement is carried out in accordance with DoT Procurement Guidelines.