Written answers

Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Covid-19 Pandemic

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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490. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding allocated by her Department on the Covid-19 communications strategy since the beginning of the pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4755/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is committed to providing clear communication to all stakeholders at all times in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Department does not hold a centralised budget for communication. Communication requirements are considered in line with policy development and an appropriate communications plan is devised to support the implementation of the relevant policy objective.

The majority of communication material development is developed within the Department without incurring additional costs.

If an advertising campaign or more complex communications campaign is required to meet an evolving need this will be considered at the time and a cost-effective plan will be devised.

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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491. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding spent by her Department on the Covid-19 communications strategy since the beginning of the pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4766/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has prioritised clear communication with all stakeholders since the start of the pandemic and the closure of school buildings to pupils on 12 March 2020.

The focus has been on providing public health information and resources and age-appropriate materials for children, parents and school communities in appropriate and accessible formats, including multilingual communication and communication using ISL.

The two main campaigns have been the communications campaign with regard to the safe re-opening and ongoing safe sustaining of operation of schools in term 1, for which amount of €207,631.17 was expended, and the communications arising from the postponement of the examinations for Leaving Certificate 2020 and the establishment and operation of the Calculated Grades process, for which an amount of € 207,750.36 was expended.

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