4126. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total amount his Department and Departmental agencies have spent in 2025 and to date in 2026 on social media and web advertising; the proportion this is of his Department's advertising budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60918/26]

My Department ensures all advertising expenditure represents value for money and closely monitors the impact of its campaigns. Any social media and web advertising expenditure is designed to ensure awareness and engagement on the issues in question, required expenditure is kept to a minimum.

My Department does not have a specific advertising budget and campaigns are developed and delivered where there is an urgent need to inform the public about matters relating to important public policy. For example, in 2025 my Department incurred significant expenditure in relation to Dog Control, an area that has since been transferred to the Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The table below provides the information requested by the Deputy. To date in 2026 my Department has not incurred any expenditure on social media and web advertising.

There are eight agencies under the remit of my Department: the Western Development Commission, the Ulster-Scots Agency, the Charities Regulator, Pobal, Foras na Gaeilge, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Water Safety Ireland and An Coimisinéir Teanga.

I would note that each of the agencies are independent legal entities and are responsible for operational matters, including in relation to expenditure on advertising. Nonetheless, I have provided the information requested by the Deputy, which has been provided to my Department by the agencies, in the tables below.

Agencies expenditure