Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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625. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her 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 her departmental strategies or policies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15385/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My Department is subject to Public Procurement Procedures as set out by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. These are available on the Office of Government Procurement’s website at www.ogp.gov.ie.

Within this context value for money is a critical consideration in assessing whether external firms should be engaged to provide services.

The information requested by the Deputy in respect of payments made to consultancy agencies assisting with policy messaging on social media on behalf of my Department is set out below.

Following a competition in 2017 through e-tenders, Culture Ireland Unit 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.

My Department engaged D’Arcy Marketing and BigO in 2018 to promote awareness of the 2018 European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) campaign for the recruitment of Irish language translators to the institutions of the European Union.

BigO Media were awarded a contract through e-tenders in 2017 for the creation of digital content to generate awareness of the Creative Ireland Programme, including awareness of events across Ireland for Cruinniú na nÓg. This includes social media and videos and is centred on creativity and culture. That contract has now just expired and a new procurement process for digital content services is currently underway.

A separate procurement process was run in 2018 for media buying services which was awarded to Mindshare. This essentially involves developing strategic plans to promote specific elements of the Creative Ireland Programme (for example the forthcoming Cruinniú na nÓg) using curated content, features and editorial, across all media channels, including social and digital platforms.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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626. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way in which her 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 her Department; the lead Department in regard to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15402/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Over the past year my Department has participated in the dissemination of messaging in relating to Project Ireland 2040, the annual Getting Winter Ready campaign and the ongoing Getting Ireland Brexit Ready campaign which is headed by the Department of Foreign Affairs And Trade.

Priority campaigns for my own Department have been the Creative Ireland Programme and Bliain na Gaeilge which were coordinated by my Department's Communications Unit with the assistance of the relevant line units within the Department. Currently my Department is highlighting the Heritage Ireland 2030 consultation process which came to a close on 31 March. A conference in relation to this will be held in May, details of which will be announced shortly.