Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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299. To ask the Minister for Finance if he 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 his Department; if so, the cost of same; and the name of the social media platforms being monitored. [25784/21]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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300. To ask the Minister for Finance if officials in his Department are tasked with conducting online and social media monitoring and completing reports on social media coverage of his Department and his Ministerial activities; if so, the number of staff involved; the respective grades of each; the estimated working hours committed to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25802/21]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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317. To ask the Minister for Finance the percentage of posts made on each of his Departmental social media accounts and platforms that were exclusively in Irish between 1 May 2020 and 30 April 2021, inclusive; the percentage of posts made on each of his Departmental social media accounts and platforms that featured bilingual translations in Irish and English between 1 May 2020 and 30 April 2021, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26580/21]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 299, 300 and 317 together.

My Department has a contract with Ruepoint Media Ltd. to supply daily media monitoring services covering print, broadcast and online media but not social media. Monitoring of social media is covered by staff in my Department’s Press Office as part of their regular duties. The Press Office is currently staffed by 1 Assistant Principal, 1 Higher Executive Officer, 1 Executive Officer and 1 Clerical Officer.

My Department committed in its Irish Language Scheme 2018-2021 to increase the level of press releases issued through the Irish language to 35%. In 2019, my Department exceeded this and in 2020, due to a range of pressures including the impact of Covid19 and the move to remote working, my Department did not meet this target. In its most recent Irish Language Scheme, my Department has committed to increase the level of press releases issued through the Irish language to 40%.

In the current scheme, my Department did not specify a percentage of social media posts in Irish. It is however proposed under an upcoming contract for a translation service to include provision for short turnaround time for social media posts, which will allow my Department to significantly increase the output through the Irish language on social media.