Michael P. Kitt
Question:56 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason for the increased spending on his Department's information service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2462/95]
Written Answers. - Increase in Spending.
A sum of £373,000 has been provided in the Estimates for 1995 under Subhead D, Information Services, of the Vote for Foreign Affairs. The 1994 provisional outturn on the subhead was £86,000.
It is intended to devote up to £121,000 of the amount provided for 1995 to meet the cost of preparation, printing and publication of the White Paper on Irish Foreign Policy. Preparation of the White Paper includes a series of public seminars which are being held in a number of centres around the country.
A further sum of up to £147,000 will be spent on publication of a new edition ofFacts about Ireland. This is a very useful publication and one which is widely used in our Diplomatic and Consular missions abroad. The most recent edition was published ten years ago, in 1985.
The remaining funds will be devoted to other, smaller, information publications; to purchase and provision of other general information material on Ireland; and to relations with, and facilities for, foreign news media and journalists, including foreign journalists visiting Ireland.
I attach particular importance to the preparation and publication of the White Paper on Irish Foreign Policy. I may say that I am glad also that it has been possible to provide some additional funding this year for the general information work of the Department and particularly for the publication of a new edition ofFacts about Ireland which I think is long overdue.