Figures released to TD Carol Nolan show that the HSE has spent nearly €7 million on COVID-19 related advertisements since the beginning of the pandemic.
Of the €6.9 million spent by the HSE since March 2020, €5.9 million went to purchasing advertisements on television, radio, and in newspapers. The remaining money was spent on outdoor advertisements, displays, and media partnerships. The figure only covers spending by the HSE and, if other government departments also took out advertisements, it is possible that the total amount spent by the Government on COVID-19 advertisements is substantially higher than €6.9 million.
The HSE has refused to say which media outlets this money has been spent with, saying that such information is ‘commercially sensitive information.’
Nearly €3 million was spent on television advertisements, with radio stations receiving about €2.5 million. Newspapers received just over €500,000.
The figures show that the HSE has spent well over a million euro on COVID-19 awareness campaigns in 2021, in addition to spending substantial amounts on advertisements about vaccines.
Deputy Nolan told Gript that she found it “absolutely extraordinary” that the HSE “continue spending millions of euros to taxpayers money to advertise awareness about Covid when every citizen in the state has been bombarded with daily NPHET briefings, Oireachtas debate, and 24/7 news cycle coverage of the pandemic.” This spending, she said, “in value for money terms”, appeared to be “ludicrously excessive.”