Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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104. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department is the lead Department in co-ordinating the Government of Ireland messages on social media and on State websites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15379/19]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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106. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 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. [15407/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 106 together.

The coordination of Government of Ireland-related social media and web content is led by the Merrionstreet team in Government Information Service (GIS) at the Department of An Taoiseach.  I confirm that my own Department works closely with all relevant Departments in relation to communications on policy and/or service-related matters that incorporate a whole-of-Government dimension.

In scenarios where the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is the lead Department or a principal stakeholder on any given policy or service matter where such a whole-of-Government dimension arises (e.g., Ireland’s recent new international development policy ‘A Better World’ or the Global Ireland programme), the necessary Government of Ireland elements are appropriately reflected in our social media and other communications activities.