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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Apr 1983

Vol. 341 No. 7

Written Answers . - Ministerial Visits Abroad .

603.

asked the Minister for Industry and Energy the number of foreign visits undertaken by him or his Minister of State since 14 December 1982; the purpose of each trip; the destination and duration of each visit; whether the visit was by official Government transport; the number of officials who accompanied him in each case; and the total cost, including accommodation and travel, of each trip.

: I attended an informal meeting of EEC Energy Ministers on 15-16 December 1982 in Copenhagen, accompanied by three officials from my Department. Official Government transport was used apart from a return journey by commercial airline by one official who had to stay over for a meeting. My costs amounted to £47 and those of my officials to £461.

On 10 February 1983, I visited London in the course of negotiations on a possible natural gas contract with Northern Ireland. I took advantage of the occasion to visit the British Parliament in connection with my duties as Leader of this House. I was accompanied by seven officials from my Department and two from other Departments. I and some of the officials travelled by official Government transport, the remainder of the party by commercial airline. My costs amounted to approximately £27 and the total for officials was £828.

At the invitation of Sheik Yamani, I visited Saudi Arabia during the period 25 February to 2 March 1983 for discussions about oil supply contracts and related matters. I separately met the Governor of Petromin, the Saudi Arabian oil company. I also met Dr. Gusaibi, Minister for Industry and Electricity and acting Minister for Health to pursue possibilities for greater Irish involvement in development projects of various kinds in Saudi Arabia. I also met the Saudi Minister for Economic Planning, Hisham Nasser. I visited a number of existing Irish/Saudi projects.

My journey also included an official visit to Bahrain where I was received by the Amir and met the Prime Minister and other Ministers. The purpose of this visit was again to promote the continued involvement of Irish interests in development projects, in particular by the ESB. I was accompanied by three departmental officials. We travelled by official Government transport to Paris and other journeys were by commercial airlines. My costs amounted to £1,645. The costs of transport, etc., for officials amounted to £5,980.

From 9 to 24 March 1983 I participated in an IDA industrial promotion tour in the United States during the course of which I visited a number of cities and important industrial centres there. I also availed myself of the opportunity of visiting the Californian state capital in my official capacity as Leader of the House. I was accompanied by two officials from my Department. Much of the cost was met by the IDA and the departmental costs were limited to approximately £787 incurred by me and £833 incurred by officials.

The Minister of State at my Department attended an EEC Council of Ministers in Brussels on 7-8 February 1983. He was accompanied by two officials. Travel was by official Government transport. The expenses of the Minister of State amounted to approximately £76 and those of the officials to £133.

The Minister of State attended another EEC Council of Ministers in Brussels on 9-10 March 1983. Travel outward was by commercial airline and the return by official Government transport. The total cost borne by my Department was £193 of which £70 was incurred by the Minister of State.

604.

asked the Minister for Labour the number of foreign visits under taken by him or his Minister of State since 14 December 1982; the purpose of each trip; the destination and duration of each visit; whether the visit was by official Government transport; the number of officials who accompanied him in each case; and the total cost, including accommodation and travel, of each trip.

: Since 14 December 1982 I made one official visit abroad to attend a meeting in Bonn of EEC Social Affairs Ministers. The trip, which was by official Government transport, lasted two days. I was accompanied by three officials from my Department and the social affairs attache, who is based in Brussels, also attended the meeting. The cost, exclusive of official Government transport, came to £415 approximately.

The Minister of State at my Department made no official visit abroad since 14 December 1982.

605.

asked the Minister for Defence the number of foreign visits undertaken by him or his Minister of State since 14 December 1982; the purpose of each trip; the destination and duration of each visit; whether the visit was by official Government transport; the number of officials who accompanied him in each case; and the total cost, including accommodation and travel, of each trip.

: During the period from 14 to 21 March 1983 I undertook an official visit to the Irish Contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. I was accompanied by the Chief of Staff and his aide-de-camp. Government transport aircraft was used for the outward journey from Dublin to Paris; commercial flights were availed of for the other portions of the journey to and from Beirut. The total cost of the visit was £6,700.

No other foreign visit has been undertaken by me or by the Minister of State at my Department since 14 December 1982.

606.

asked the Minister for the Public Service the number of foreign visits undertaken by him since 14 December 1982; the purpose of each trip; the destination and duration of each visit; whether the visit was by official Government transport; the number of officials who accompanied him in each case; and the total cost, including accommodation and travel, of each trip.

: I have made one foreign visit since my appointment. The purpose of the two-day visit was to discuss aspects of British public service management with the Treasury and the Management and Personnel Office in London. I was accompanied by three officials and travelled by public transport. The total cost was £1,350.

607.

asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the number of foreign visits undertaken by him or his Minister of State since 14 December 1982; the purpose of each trip; the destination and duration of each visit; whether the visit was by official Government transport; the number of officials who accompanied him in each case; and the total cost, including accommodation and travel, of each trip.

: The reply, which is in the form of a tabular statement, will be circulated with the Official Report.

Foreign visit undertaken by

Purpose of Trip

Destination

Duration ofVisit

Number of Officials accompanying Minister

Means of transport

Total Cost including

Accommodation

Travel

Mr. P. O'Toole, Minister for Fisheries & Forestry and Mr. M. D'Arcy, Minister of State

Attend EEC Council of Ministers Meeting

Brussels

From 1600hrs 20 Dec. 1982To 1200 hrs 22 Dec. 1982

Three (3)

Executive Jet

£596.41

Mr. P. O'Toole, Minister for Fisheries & Forestry and Mr. M. D'Arcy, Minister of State

Attend EEC Council of Ministers Meeting

Brussels

From 1600 hrs 24 Jan. 1983To 2200 hrs 25 Jan. 1983

Four (4)

Outward journey by Executive Jet

£407.61

Inward journey by Commercial Jet

£884.40

Mr. P. O'Toole Minister for Fisheries & Forestry and Mrs. J. O'Toole

Attend St Patrick's Day Parade and associated festivities as invited guest

St Louis,Illinois

From 1200 hrs 10 March 1983To 0830 hrs 17 March 1983

None

Commercial Flight

£2,276.34

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