Millions spent on advertising and consultants despite cutbacks pledge

GOVERNMENT departments and agencies will spend at least €30 million on advertising in 2008, despite a much-hyped promise to cut spending on it and on consultants in a bid to control the massive budget deficit.

The commitment to cut back on self-promoting advertising and consultancy is nothing but a hollow promise.

Green party ministers in particular have excelled themselves in wasting public money with the two departments under their control accounting for one-third of the total advertising spend, at €10.5m. While some of the advertising spend can be justified, such as information campaigns on tax and social welfare entitlements, it is clear that millions of tax euro have been wasted on campaigns that were either unnecessary or unsuccessful, or ideologically-driven.