Written answers

Tuesday, 10 December 2019

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Departmental Advertising Campaigns

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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113. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the advertising campaigns, promotional events and launches planned by his Department for the first six months of 2020; the budgeted costs of these campaigns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51411/19]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department engages in public awareness advertising where there is important information that needs to be brought to the attention of citizens. In 2019, some examples of campaigns included the new Passport Online and ‘Getting Ireland Brexit Ready’, both these campaigns will be ongoing in the first half of 2020.

The estimated budget for the Passport Online Campaign will be approximately €550,000 which is in line with previous such campaigns. The objective being to have a continual presence and awareness of the Online Passport Service for Irish adults and children. The campaign will have a multi-faceted approach, through social media platforms, national and regional print and broadcast media and outdoor advertising.

Expenditure on the “Getting Ireland Brexit Ready” Public Information campaign was approximately €1.5 million in 2019. While the costs of the 2019 campaign were borne by my Department, this is a whole of Government campaign prepared and executed in partnership with other Government Departments and Agencies, in particular, the Department of the Taoiseach. The public information campaign will continue pending the outcome of the General Election in the United Kingdom and subsequent political developments and decisions. Campaign details and projected expenditure in this area will be made available once those plans have been finalised.

In addition to public awareness advertising my Department will participate in a number of public outreach opportunities. Such outreach events provide an effective means to engage with a broad cross-section of the public. They are particularly important in providing essential information concerning the services and programmes operated by the Department and to keep the public informed of the many areas of work where the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is active on their behalf.

Public Outreach engagements currently foreseen for the first half of 2020 include providing an information stand and workshops at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition, participating in 2020 ESB Science Blast Events in Dublin , Limerick and Belfast , and supporting a range of community-based events around Ireland to celebrate Africa Day. The budget available for these events is still being finalised, but indicatively, the equivalent budget during 2019 was in the region of €160,000.

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