Written answers
Thursday, 29 June 2023
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Departmental Funding
Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
336. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total advertising budget allocated by her Department and agencies in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2023, respectively; the funding provided directly to RTÉ in each year; if she has sought and secured an assurance that none of this funding was rebated via the RTÉ advertising barter account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32015/23]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
For the purpose of this response, I have interpreted the amount spent on advertising as media buying costs incurred from public information campaigns, announcements and recruitment notices.
Total advertising expenditure in each of the past 10 years, including 2023 spend incurred to date, is €9,208,209.41 and is outlined below in tabular form.
| Year | Total Advertising Costs |
|---|---|
| 2023 * | €510,290.27* |
| 2022 | €1,352,300.85 |
| 2021 | €2,289,774.30 |
| 2020 | €2,538,989.37 |
| 2019 | €845,761.29 |
| 2018 | €416,585.00 |
| 2017 | €839,102.66 |
| 2016 | €87,642.92 |
| 2015 | €209,198.58 |
| 2014 | €64,095.00 |
| 2013 | €54,469.17 |
| Total | €9,208,209.41 |
Please note these figures include VAT, Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland and agency fees.*Invoiced to 27 June 2023
The total advertising spend with RTÉ from October 2020 up to 27 June 2023 is €373,752 ex VAT. A detailed breakdown of spend by media channel is not available prior to 2020.
All public information campaigns from my Department are developed to offer clear messages to the public while ensuring value for money for the taxpayer.
My Department works with a media buying agency, appointed under an OGP procurement process, to plan and buy advertising effectively.
The agency has confirmed that during this trackable period (2020-2023), no funding direct to RTÉ was rebated via an RTÉ advertising barter account.
The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my department are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority and the Pensions Council.
Details of expenditure for advertising in each of the past 10 years and to date in 2023 for these bodies are outlined in the tables below. Please note that these figures also include VAT, ASAI and agency fees.
| Year | Total Advertising Costs for the Citizens Information Board |
|---|---|
| 2023 | €141,813 |
| 2022 | €448,362 |
| 2021 | €917,675 |
| 2020 | €845,810 |
| 2019 | €1,292,449 |
| 2018 | €1,608,035 |
| 2017 | €651,776 |
| 2016 | €648,454 |
| 2015 | €131,642 |
| 2014 | €142,191 |
| 2013 | €133,050 |
| Total | €6,961,258 |
The Citizens Information Board has confirmed that it did not have any direct spend with RTE from 2013 to date nor has CIB paid directly into the RTE barter account.
| Year | Total Advertising Costs for the Pensions Authority |
|---|---|
| 2023 | €100,000 |
| 2022 | €100,000 |
| 2021 | €100,000 |
| 2020 | €100,000 |
| 2019 | €100,000 |
| 2018 | €100,000 |
| 2017 | €100,000 |
| 2016 | €100,000 |
| 2015 | €100,000 |
| Total | €875,000 |
The Pensions Authority has no expenditure records for advertising prior to 2015.
| Year | Total Advertising Costs for the Pensions Authority with RTE |
|---|---|
| 2023 | €0 |
| 2022 | €15,000 |
| 2021 | €15,000 |
| 2020 | €0 |
| 2019 | €40,000 |
| 2018 | €41,410 |
| 2017 | €41,410 |
| 2016 | €23,900 |
| 2015 | €6,050 |
| Total | €182,770 |
The Pensions Authority confirmed that none of this expenditure was rebated via an RTE advertising barter account.
In the context of the Pensions Council, it did not incur any expenditure on advertising from 2013 to date in 2023.
No comments