Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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603. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government whether his Department has undertaken procurement processes in regard 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; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15392/19]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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604. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government 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; the Department that is the lead Department in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15409/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 603 and 604 together.

A number of social media accounts are operated by my Department and are managed in accordance with my Department’s Social Media policy. My Department does not engage consultancy agencies, media or otherwise, to assist it with formulating or contributing to policy messaging on social media or videos, hence procurement does not arise. The engagement of external expertise is generally only considered where the issues involved require expert skills or capabilities that are not readily available within my Department.

My Department follows the social media accounts of other Departments and re-tweets or re-posts when it believes the information would be of use or interest to our account followers. On occasion, other Departments may contact my Department requesting that it re-post or retweet messages where a reach of the widest audience possible is required and my Department endeavors to facilitate such requests.