Kerry County Council paid almost €24,000 to a company for promoting the county’s greenways in a period of six months.
Records of payments from the council to the marketing company Turley, in relation to the promotion of the Kingdom of Kerry Greenways, were released to Radio Kerry under FOI.
The council says the costs were grant aided by the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), which is operated by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
It comes as the Cathaoirleach of the Listowel Municipal District, Cllr Aoife Thornton, told a recent MD meeting the online content on the Kingdom of Kerry Greenways pages is concerningly dull.
Marketing company Turley was appointed for marketing work on the greenways on a 12-month contract from January to December 2023, following a successful tender submission.
Kerry County Council says the company’s responsibilities include managing social media, co-ordinating media familiarisation trips for press, travel writers and influencers, and PR opportunities/news coverage to promote the greenways.
The council says its own Economic Development and Tourism Unit oversees this work, and the overall management of the greenways.
Records released to Radio Kerry show Kerry County Council made five payments to Turley between the start of March and the end of August, totalling over €23,800, for this marketing work.
At the recent Listowel Municipal District meeting, Cathaoirleach Cllr Aoife Thornton said she finds the online content on the Kingdom of Kerry Greenways pages concerningly dull, and there's a need to use what content is there over what they're getting which is not as good.
The council says Turley secured national media coverage for the launch of the new greenways and co-ordinated a day-long visit to the two greenways for national press and travel writers earlier this year.
Kerry County Council added the company has also worked with the council to develop and secure a number of features and reports on the greenways in national media and online.
The Kingdom of Kerry Greenways’ Facebook page, which has been active since January 2021, has one thousand likes, while its Twitter account has 198 followers, and its Instagram page has 505 followers.
The Limerick Greenway’s Facebook page, which began over four years ago, has 9,800 likes, and its Instagram page has over 5,300 followers since it became active in January 2021.
Kerry County Council says it’s not reasonable to compare the number of followers on the greenways’ social media platforms with others, and it added the council and Turley continue to work together to expand its reach on social media.
In relation to whether Turley’s contract will be renewed in January, Kerry County Council says a renewal of any contract of this nature is subject to the normal procurement rules.
