Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Oct 1994

Vol. 445 No. 6

Written Answers. - Ministerial Visits.

Michael Noonan

Question:

375 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the official journeys abroad which will be undertaken by him or any Minister of State attached to his Department between now and the end of the year; the purpose of each journey; and the projected cost of each journey. [637/94]

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Cowen)

My official journeys abroad are, for the most part, dictated by a busy EU Council of Ministers' schedule. The agreed dates for these between now and the end of the year are as follows:

Date	Venue	Reason	Projected Cost
17-18/11	Brussels	EU Telecommunications Council	£1,400
21-22/11	Brussels	EU Transport Council	£1,400
28-29/11	Brussels	EU Energy Council	£1,400

There might, however, be an additional or rearranged EU Telecom Council meeting in December.

I do not anticipate that the Minister of State at my Department will undertake any official journeys abroad during the period in question.

Mary Harney

Question:

376 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the number of official trips abroad he has made since he took office; the number of persons that accompanied him on each of these trips; and the cost of the various trips. [775/94]

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Cowen)

I have made 24 official trips abroad since I became Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications. The number of persons accompanying me on each of these trips varied between zero and six. The total cost to date to the Department of these trips was in the region of £50,000.

A detailed breakdown of visits abroad follows:

Official Ministerial Visits Abroad

1993 and 1994

Date	Venue	Accompanied Minister	Approx. cost to date to Dept.
30-31/1/93	London	—	£926
	Irish Emigrants Association meeting
14-15/3/93	Brussels	5	£3,410
	EU Transport Council of Ministers
15-19/3/93	Birmingham	—	£1,786
	St. Patrick's Day duties
30/3-2/4/93	Moscow & Minsk	6	£3,044
	Meeting with Russian/Belarus Ministers of Transport
19/4/93	Brussels	2	£1,077
	Meeting with EU Transport Commissioner
9-10/5/93	Brussels	4	£740
	EU Telecom Council of Ministers
7/6/93	Luxembourg	3	£505
	EU Transport Council of Ministers
24-25/6/93	Luxembourg	4	£3,635
	EU Energy Council of Ministers
24-26/8/93	Prague	1	£453
	Meeting Czech Energy companies
25-26/9/93	Birmingham	1	£669
	Meeting with potential investors re Develop- ment Project
27-28/9/93	Brussels	5	£1,766
	EU Transport Council of Ministers
2-5/10/93	Helsinki	4	£1,406
	Finnish Peat Power Station: Investigation visit
7-10/10/93	New York	1	£3,892
	US Chamber of Commerce of Ireland function
22-23/11/93	Birmingham	4	£2,884
	Light Rail Conference
29/11-1/12/93	Brussels	6	£1,316
	EU Transport Council of Ministers
6-7/12/93	Brussels	3	£984
	Meeting with EU Commission
9-10/12/93	Brussels	5	£3,297
	EU Energy Council of Ministers
14-16/1/94	Paris	—	£455
	French branch of Ireland Fund Function
7-9/2/94	Athens	4	£2,559
	EU Transport Council of Ministers
16-22/3/94	New York	2	£12,000
	St. Patrick's Day duties
17-18/4/94	Luxembourg	3	£986
	EU Transport Council of Ministers
1-2/5/94	Toulouse	4	£457
	Official landing over of Airbus
24-25/5/94	Brussels	4	£387
	EU Energy Council of Ministers
28/9/94	Brussels	4	£200 estimate
	EU Telecom Council of Ministers