Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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204. To ask the Minister for Health the amount spent by his Department on online advertising in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023, in tabular form; if he will provide details in relation to this spending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4854/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Dear Deputy, 

I refer to the following Parliamentary Question that was tabled by you for reply by 01/02/2023.  

PQ4854/23 - To ask the Minister for Health the amount spent by his Department on online advertising in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023, in tabular form; if he will provide details in relation to this spending; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The amounts outlined in below table were spent on online advertising over the years 2013-2022 and to date in 2023 (31 January 2023).

Online advertising has been interpreted to include to Search Advertising, Social Media Advertising, Audio Visual Advertising, Audio On Demand Advertising, Visual On Demand Advertising, and Digital Advertising, Website Advertising, and Mobile Application Advertising.

Online advertising was included in Healthy Ireland campaigns, Department of Health campaigns and Department of Health COVID-19 / Winter Viruses public health guidance.

The overarching aim of Healthy Ireland to bring about a healthier population by supporting people to enjoy the best possible health and wellbeing. It is the Government-led initiative aimed at delivering the Sláintecare objective of preventing ill-health and keeping people well. Since 2018, a number of Healthy Ireland citizen engagement campaigns designed to support Healthy Ireland objectives and the Healthy Ireland Strategy 2021-2025 have been completed.

The Department's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased instance of winter viruses such as RSV and Flu in Winter 2022-23 included an advertising campaign for the purposes of promoting the latest public health guidance. The level of advertising spend varies depending upon the public health requirements at the time. The HSE continues to run advertising campaigns to raise awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine programme and the latest public health advice. 

The table below provides the amount spent by the Department of Health information requested in this Parliamentary Question on online advertising in each of the past ten years (2013-2022) and to date in 2023 (31 January 2023).

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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205. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to any instances where the public relations unit and or press office of his Department undertook to create social media accounts under false names, which were operated in order to further the messaging or communications of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4872/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Press & Communications Unit of the Department of Health runs the Department’s social media accounts. I can assure the Deputy staff in the Department do not engage in the type of activity described.