Questions have been raised in the Dáil about the use of public money for a controversial advertising campaign that included editorial staff at a number of local newspapers being asked to make sponsored content look like news.
Independent TDs Katherine Zappone and Denis Naughten have questioned the €1.5 million advertising strategy for the government's Creative Ireland and Ireland 2040 campaigns.
Complaints have been made to the Standards In Public Office Commission and the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland over the placing of government adverts in newspapers who were asked to make them look like news stories.
In a joint statement the TDs said they were "concerned at allegations that newspapers were told to make the advertorials appear like genuine news stories.
"If any such blurring of lines between adverts and editorial were to occur it would raise serious questions around transparency, press freedom and compliance with advertising rules", they said.
The advertising campaign was commissioned by the taoiseach Leo Varadkar's strategic communications unit.
Mr Varadkar has faced opposition criticism over the creation of the SCU, which will cost around €5 million a year to operate.
Emails sent to newspapers about the advertising campaign for Creative Ireland asked for the content to appear as editorial.
The email stated: "Part of our deal is that we don't have any moniker such as 'advertorial' or ‘special feature’ — it simply runs as normal editorial".
Labour TD Alan Kelly said advertising campaign was "Goebbels territory".
Mr Varadkar responded to the remarks by Mr Kelly comparing civil servants in his department and communications unit to the Third Reich as being "wholly inappropriate".
