Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 6 Oct 1993

Vol. 434 No. 2

Written Answers. - Ministerial Visits Abroad.

Bernard Allen

Question:

192 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice the number of visits she has made abroad since taking up office; the destination, date, duration of these visits, for what purpose these visits were made; the number of officials and others who accompanied her; the airline used on each visit; and the overall cost of each visit.

Bernard Allen

Question:

193 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice the number of visits her Minister of State has made abroad since taking up office; the destination, date and duration of these visits; the purpose of these visits; the number of officials and others who accompanied the Minister of State; the airline used on each visit; and the overall cost of each visit.

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together.

Since taking office as Minister for Justice I have made a total of twelve visits abroad and my Minister of State has made one. The following table gives the details requested by the Deputy in relation to these visits.

Duration	Destination	Accompanying Number	Purpose	*Provisional Costs
				£
3-2-93	London	4	Anglo Irish Conference	340
14-2-93 to 16-2-93	Budapest	4	Ministerial Conference on Migration	3,450
10-3-93 to 21-3-93	Australia	4	Representation and business promotion	30,170
6-5-93 to 7-5-93	Billund, Denmark	6	Meeting of EC Ministers	3,430
26-5-93 to 28-5-93	Rome, Italy	3	Ministerial Conference on European Drug Routes	3,880
31-5-93 to 2-6-93	Copenhagen, Denmark	5	Meeting of EC Ministers	4,240
3-6-93 to 4-6-93	Paris, France	3	Movement: Choisir la cause des femmes	1,200
13-6-93 to 14-6-93	Brussels, Belgium	3	EC Business	1,440
21-6-93 to 22-6-93	Lugano, Switzerland	3	Ministers for Justice meeting	1,530
8-7-93	London, England	5	Anglo Irish Conference	1,040
10-9-93	London, England	3	Anglo Irish Conference	Not yet accounted for
28-9-93 to 29-9-93	Brussels	4	Meeting of EC Ministers	2,720
**28-6-93 to 29-6-93	Copenhagen, Denmark	3	Europol meeting	1,100

The above trips were booked via Aer Lingus whenever the Government jet was not used.

* The costs show for each visit are based on the travel and subsistence costs which have been brought to account in the Department of Justice. Accommodation abroad may be arranged through local embassy as may other incidental costs such as the hire of cars, etc. It can be some time before these are brought to account in the Department of Justice.

** Denotes trip undertaken by the Minister of State.