Written answers
Tuesday, 28 February 2023
Department of Rural and Community Development
Departmental Data
Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
715. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide a schedule of social media influencers and online personalities, television and or radio personalities engaged by her Department and bodies under her aegis in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; if she will include the fees expended, name of personality and campaign they were engaged on; and if she will also provide the key performance indicators in respect of their engagement [9905/23]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
The table below relates to media personalities engaged by my Department from 2021 to date:
| Name of personality engaged | Fee expended | Campaign & date | Key performance indicator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Kennedy (TV personality) | €4,305 | Launch of ‘Our Rural Future - Rural Development Policy 2021-2025’, March 2021 | Increase awareness (Over 6,000 views of event online and extensive media coverage) |
| Anne Cassin (TV personality) | €2,000 | Host National Tidy Towns Awards, event online, 21st of November, 2021 | Increase awareness |
| Anne Cassin (TV personality) | €4,000 | Host National Tidy Towns Awards in RDS, 28th of October, 2022 | Increase awareness (national TV coverage received) |
| Jess Kelly (Radio presenter) | €3,690 | Hosting the Mobile Phone and Broadband Task force Stakeholder Forum, Dublin, 15 February, 2023 | Increase awareness |
The table below relates to media personalities engaged by agencies under the aegis of my Department, from 2021 to date:
| Agency & date | Name of Personality engaged | Fee expended | Campaign | Key performance indicator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water Safety Ireland (2021) | Sea of Souls (online choir) | No fee | Remembering those who drowned | Increase awareness (19K Online views achieved) |
| Dee Newell (Open water sea swimmer advocate) | No fee | Open Water Swimming Advice | YouTube/Facebook/Instagram/Twitter (1.6M views achieved) | |
| Liam Neeson (Irish Actor) | No fee | World Drowning Prevention Day (WSI for WHO) | Increased awareness | |
| Aoibhin Garrighy (Actress/writer) | €1,476 | WSI National Awards Ceremony host | Event broadcast online (number of views 4,000) | |
| Water Safety Ireland (2022) | Barry Farrell & Kevin Gill (angling advocates) | No fee | Lake angling safety | Increase awareness through YouTube views (283K achieved) |
| Barry Farrell & Kevin Gill (angling advocates) | No fee | River angling safety | Increase awareness through YouTube views (692K achieved) | |
| Henry O'Donnell (Advocate for long distance swimming) | No fee | Open Water Swimming safety | Increase awareness through YouTube/Facebook/Instagram/Twitter views | |
| Nick Corish (98 year-old active retirement advocate) | No fee | WSI New Year water safety campaign | Increase awareness through online views | |
| Jennifer Zamperelli (TV/Radio host & Actor) | No fee | Safe Summer Swimming | Increased awareness through Online/radio listenership | |
| Liam Neeson (Irish Actor) | No fee | World Drowning Prevention Day | Increased awareness | |
| Miriam O'Callaghan (Radio/TV host & parent) | €1,845 | WSI National Awards Ceremony host | Increase awareness through Views on YouTube/Facebook/Instagram/Twitter views (56K achieved) | |
| Western Development Commission | Bobby Kerr (Radio host) | € 1,441 | Connected Hub launch event | Increase awareness of Connected Hubs (event was live streamed to 400 hubs) |
In addition, the TV Series ‘Moving West’ is financially supported in part by the Western Development Commission (WDC). It is presented by TV personality Ms. Mary Kennedy, however she is hired and paid by the production company Dundara Media. I understand that WDC has no oversight of the costs of the presenter and do not make payment directly to Ms. Kennedy.
The two other agencies under the aegis of my Department are Pobal and the Charities Regulator. They did not engage any social media influencers and online personalities, television and or radio personalities for campaigns.
No comments