DCEDIY Social Media Policy

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has active social media accounts that represent the Department on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. All 3 accounts are managed by authorised Communications Unit staff.

The Department also has a number of subsidiary accounts that represent particular policy areas and that are managed by each policy unit.

X (formerly Twitter) is used as the main social media tool of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The account is managed by authorised Communications Unit staff.

In addition, other accounts are run by Department units as follows:

@ComhairleNaNog1

@First5_Ireland on X

@HubnanOg

@LGBTIYouthStrat

@WhatWorksIrl

The Department Facebook and Instagram accounts are managed by authorised Communications Unit staff.

In addition, other accounts are run by Department units as follows:

@First5_Ireland on Facebook

Comhairle na nÓg Facebook

Comhairle na nÓg Instagram

LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy Facebook

National Action Plan for Childminding

National Childcare Scheme

Supporting Children and Parents

If you follow us, you can expect posts, photos and videos covering some or all of the following:

• press releases on the Department's activities and Ministerial speeches will be announced via social media in addition to normal distribution channels
• event information and occasional live coverage of events
• alerts about new content on our website and links to official Department publications
• other practical information on services available through the Department

The Department is not responsible, liable for and does not endorse the privacy practices of any linked websites. Your use of social media websites is at your own risk. The Department assumes no responsibility or liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred as a result of any use or reliance upon the information and material contained within or downloaded from these websites.

The Department will follow other government departments and agencies, as well as any accounts followed by our audience, or accounts of interest to our followers. The Communications Unit reserves the right to determine whether or not an account should be followed.

Retweets and shares are not endorsements of an opinion or comment.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth retweets and shares content from third parties where they are a government department or office (including international or multilateral government), or a related organisation. Other third parties may be retweeted or shared in circumstances where we consider there to be direct benefit to our followers. This will be determined by the Communications Office on a case-by-case basis.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide replies or other feedback to our followers.

Our use of social media is not intended as a means of contacting the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, or submitting personal or press queries. Sending a message via social media is not considered as contacting the Department for official purposes. Such contact should be made through our business units, details of which are available on our website.

You can also email the Department at: contact@equality.gov.ie

The Department reserves the right to report the following to X, Facebook and Instagram and block the relevant account:

• accounts that impersonate the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in any way
• abusive and spam tweets and posts

All Department social media accounts operate during normal office hours from Monday to Friday, but may also operate outside of these hours on a discretionary basis.