Mayo Aontú candidate questions €80m. government spend on online advertising

STATISTICS secured by Aontú following a series of Parliamentary Questions have revealed that €80 million of taxpayers money has been spent by government departments on online advertising in the past decade.

Mayo Aontú election candidate Councillor Paul Lawless has called for an audit of the spending.

Speaking today, Councillor Lawless said: “These are eye-watering figures. Aontú firmly believe that there needs to be an audit of this spending, and that the taxpayer deserves answers on why €80m of their money has been spent on advertisements by government departments.

“While certainly some of the spending in terms of road safety advertisements was justified, I think there is likely an element of waste here on other areas of the spending.

“By the end of the pandemic I think most people knew how to wash their hands appropriately and didn’t require hundreds of government ads thrown in their faces on how to wash their hands correctly.

“Given the disaster the country is facing in terms of housing and health, I think any spending in other areas must be scrutinised. The amount spent on ads equates to a hole in the public purse the size of 330 social houses.

“This government have been one of waste and little accountability. We really do believe that there has to be an audit.”