Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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151. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total amount spent by her Department on advertisements, including traditional forms of advertisement and online advertising, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2021. [54915/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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For the purpose of this response, I have interpreted “the amount spent on advertisements including traditional forms of advertisement and online advertisement” as media buying costs incurred from public information campaigns, announcements and recruitment notices.

My Department administers over 90 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State. The Department is committed to ensuring that members of the public are fully aware of the welfare supports and services that are available, as well as ensuring key changes are communicated to them.

Public information/advertising campaigns are therefore an important part of the Department's work and span national and regional print media and radio, digital, social media and outdoor advertising.

All campaigns are developed and targeted carefully in collaboration with the agency responsible for our media planning and buying.  They use the most suitable mix of media formats to ensure that the Department's messages reach members of the public effectively, while ensuring value for money.

All advertising expenditure undertaken by the Department is tendered for in accordance with Government and EU procurement guidelines, including use of framework agreements from the Office of Government Procurement.

Total advertising expenditure in each of the past 10 years, including 2021 spend incurred to date (8 Nov) is set out in the table which follows.  

The significant increase in advertising spend in the years 2020 and 2021 can be attributed to the ongoing requirement to ensure that the public are fully aware of the COVID-19 income supports available to them and any changes to these supports.