Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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591. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount her Department has expended to date regarding awareness raising campaigns of Covid-19 in national newspapers, regional newspapers, national radio, regional and local radio stations and across social media platforms; and the amount committed to expend under any current contracts or agreements with same in tabular form. [10479/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In total, the Department delivered 18 public information campaigns related to COVID-19 during 2020. The aim of these campaigns was to increase public awareness of the available Covid-19 related income supports and other related Department services. Advertising included national and regional print publications, national and regional radio, as well as targeted digital and social media advertising.

The full year cost of COVID-19 related public information campaigns in 2020 was €1,832,537 excluding VAT and other fees including agency fees and the detailed spend per media channel is outlined in the table below. The below figures do not include creative costs.

2020 Expenditure on COVID 19 Campaigns, by channel:

To date in 2021, the Department has delivered 2 further public information campaigns in response to the introduction of Level 5 restrictions and a sharp rise in the numbers of COVID-19 infections.

The budgeted costs of these two COVID-19 awareness campaigns is €331,796 excluding VAT and agency and other fees and is detailed below by channel. These campaigns have not yet been invoiced, so costs below are estimates and not final.

2021 Budgeted Expenditure on COVID Campaigns, by channel (figures correct as of 19/02/2021)