Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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537. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has engaged a third-party company to date in 2021 to conduct online and or social media monitoring and or provide reports on social media coverage of her Department; if so, the cost of same; and the name of the social media platforms being monitored. [25792/21]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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538. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if officials in her Department are tasked with conducting online and social media monitoring and completing reports on social media coverage of her Department and her Ministerial activities; if so, the number of staff involved; the respective grades of each; the estimated working hours committed to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25810/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 537 and 538 together.

The Department of Social Protection has not engaged a third-party company to conduct online or social media monitoring or to provide reports on same and, therefore, no expenditure has been incurred.

The Department has engaged RuePoint Media to provide Print (including digital media coverage) and Broadcast media monitoring.

Having responsibility for the delivery of the State’s social welfare service, the Department uses a broad range of sources to make information available on its schemes, including the use of social media channels Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. The Department's Customer Service team respond to requests for general public information via the official Twitter account of the Department (@welfare_ie) each day from 9am to 5pm.