Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

117. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent on media monitoring services by his Department; if the role is provided by private contract operators or in-house services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27562/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department and Ireland’s network of Diplomatic, Consular and other offices overseas perform a wide range of functions in pursuit of Ireland’s foreign policy interests. These include representing and advancing Government policies internationally, in particular at EU and UN levels; economic, trade and cultural promotion; frontline consular services; engaging with Irish diaspora communities; and programme management, particularly in Irish Aid priority countries. 

This work necessitates comprehensive access to the most up to date international and national news.  In 2019, to facilitate access to this, my Department procured an external monitoring service for press and broadcast media. Costs associated with this service are outlined in the table below.  While this contract allows for social media monitoring if required, this element is not currently utilised. The Department monitors its own and external social media activity through free analytical tools provided by the major social media platforms.

Prior to my Department procuring it’s own service in 2019, media monitoring services were accessed by the Department under a Framework provided by the Office of Government Procurement.  Costs associated with this service are outlined in Table 2.

Table 1

Cost 2019 to date by Supplier

Table 2

Cost 2017-2019 by Supplier