Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2026
322. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if his Department has conducted an economic assessment of the value and contribution of digital advertising, including personalised advertising, to Irish enterprises and the Irish economy. [51838/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for this question.
Platforms and businesses offering digital advertising services represent an increasingly important component of Ireland’s digital economy. In addition to providing significant direct employment for highly skilled workers, these companies act as enablers for the business models of many other businesses established in Ireland operating in the digital economy.
For Irish businesses, particularly SMEs and start-ups, digital advertising provides a cost-efficient way to reach new and existing customers and facilitates access to global markets.
Industry data illustrates the scale of this activity. IAB Ireland, the trade organisation for digital advertising, has estimated that Irish digital advertising spend grew by 8% to €1.146 billion in 2025.
Given the scale of the sector and that digital advertising spans multiple policy areas and regulations, including the Digital Markets Act, Digital Services Act, GDPR, the AI Act and the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act, DETE has appointed a senior official to coordinate this work. Work is underway to define the role and ensure effective oversight of evolving digital advertising regulation.
A key part of this role will be identifying the value and contribution of digital advertising to Ireland. My Department will continue to engage with industry on this issue.
