Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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214. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department or bodies working on behalf of his Department are monitoring social media for those that criticise Government policy. [24660/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm that my Department are not monitoring social media for those that criticise Government policy.

WHO Outbreak Communication Planning Guides state that “Understanding the public’s risk perceptions, views and concerns is critical to effective communication and the broader emergency management function it supports. Without knowing how people understand and perceive a given risk and what their existing beliefs and practices are, decisions and required behaviour changes necessary to protect health may not occur and societal or economic disruption may be more severe.”

I can confirm that, as per WHO guidance, my Department has been actively listening to public views and concerns from the outset of this pandemic, collating commentary on social and traditional media. My Department is also conducting surveys among the general public through the Amarach survey, published regularly on the Department’s website.