More than €1.1 million in taxpayer funds was paid last year to ministers, TDs, and Senators for social media providers, communications, and secretarial support.
The payments were made as part of the little-known special secretarial allowance which allows part-time hiring and the purchase of public relations services.
In 2024, Taoiseach Micheál Martin paid €5,965 to a firm called Upload Media, a creative media agency based in Dublin.
On their website, they offer a range of services including video production, photography, graphic design, web design, and content management.
Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers paid €5,000 to Communique International, a strategic communications provider.
The former minister Simon Coveney spent just over €40,500 with the Cork-based firm Cameo Communications.
Current Enterprise Minister Peter Burke paid Social Media Elite just over €5,500 while ex-Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue submitted a bill of €4,920 from Fabrik Creative Media.
Minister Norma Foley paid around €4,100 to Fogarty Films as well as €1,000 to Yewtree Infotainment.
Details of a further payment of €1,000 were redacted from the records on the basis it was personal information.
The Oireachtas has adopted a policy of only providing details of spending where companies are involved and not for individuals or sole traders.
That meant no further detail was provided on payments totalling €42,700 on behalf of the Fianna Fáil TD – and Minister of State – Niall Collins.
Similarly, €14,700 in payments by Minister Hildegarde Naughton were anonymised as were €26,500 in payments under the scheme by Culture Minister Patrick O’Donovan.
Details of nearly €11,700 spending by former Minister Anne Rabbitte were redacted as well along with €7,300 in bills from Minister Thomas Byrne.
The scheme also allows TDs and Senators to hire a temporary vouched employee to work in their offices.