Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 2

Written Answers. - Ministerial Travel.

Ivor Callely

Question:

61 Mr. Callely asked the Taoiseach if he will give a breakdown of foreign travel that he or the Ministers of State at his Department have undertaken; the total cost involved; the purpose of such trips; the number and list of passengers who travelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15151/95]

The Taoiseach

The total cost met by my Department of foreign travel undertaken by me and the Ministers of State at my Department in 1994 and to June 1995 is £55,735. The attached schedule gives a breakdown of foreign trips already undertaken and the cost/estimated cost of each, including that of officials from my Department. The costs in relation to officials from Departments other than my Department are borne in their respective Departmental Votes.

Expenditure in respect of some foreign travel shown in the schedule is, in accordance with normal practice, initially charged to the Department of Foreign Affairs and will be recouped to that Department from the Vote of the Department of the Taoiseach.

Taoiseach's Travel.

Date	Destination	Purpose	Travelling Party	Total Cost
				£
20-12-94—21-12-94	London	Meeting with Prime Minister Major	6	8,624.56
20-03-95 — 13-03-95	Copenhagen	UN Conference	8	2,011.83
14-03-95 — 21-03-95	USA	St. Patrick's Day Parade	8	34,318.04
29-03-95 — 30-03-95	Brussels	European Commission	9	2,570.44
06-05-95 — 07-05-95	Manchester	Meeting with Emigrant Organisations	3	1,802.17
08-05-95 — 10-05-95	Moscow and London	World War II Commemoration and meeting with Prime Minister Major	7	5,958.89
				Estimated Cost
09-06-95 — 10-06-95	Paris	Head of Government Meeting	7	7,800.00
25-06-95 — 28-06-95	Cannes	European Council	9	15,500.00
11-09-95 — 14-09-95	Canada	Official Visit	7	11,000.00
22-09-95 — 24-09-95	Majorca	European Council	7	12,000.00
02-10-95 — 07-10-95	Madrid and New New York	Met Prime Minister Gonzales (Madrid)	8	12,400.00
		King Juan Carlos (New York)	7

Minister's Travel — Minister of State, Gay Mitchell, TD

Date	Destination	Purpose	Travelling Party	Total Cost
				£
05-03-95—06-03-95	Brussels	General Affairs Council Meeting	2	448.80
				Estimated Cost
11-06-95 — 14-06-95	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council and Reflection Group	2	2,920.00
18-06-95 — 22-06-95	Boston and New York	IFSC Business	4	Sub. only794.00
25-06-95 — 27-06-95	Cannes	European Summit		see Taois.Travel
16-07-95 — 17-07-95	Brussells	General Affairs Council	2	524.00
01-10-95 — 03-10-95	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council and Reflection Group	2	1,950.00

Minister's Travel — Minister of State, Donal Carey, TD

Date	Destination	Purpose	Travelling Party	Total Estimated Cost
				£
18-09-95—19-09-95	Brussels	Commissioner for Regional Affairs	3	3,070.00

Breakdown of Total Costs to end May 1995 — Taoiseach's Travel

20/12/94-	London	Transport	6,913.39
21/12/94		Accomodation	1,695.64
		Miscellaneous	15.53
		Total Cost	8,624.56
12/03/95-	Copenhagen	Transport	1,069.08
13/03/95		Accomodation	687.19
		Miscellaneous	255.56
		Total Cost	2,011.83
29/03/95-	Brussels	Accommodation	1,744.44
30/03/95		Transport	700.43
		Miscellaneous	125.57
		Total Cost	2,570.44
14/03/95-	USA	Accommodation	11,584.77
21/03/95		Transport	17,848.27
		Miscellaneous	4,885.00
		Total Cost	34,318.04
06/05/95-	Manchester	Accommodation	482.44
07/05/95		Transport	1,319.73
		Total Cost	1,802.17
08/05/95-	Moscow and London	Accommodation	4,635.38
10/05/95		Transport	989.32
		Miscellaneous	334.19
		Total Cost	5,958.89

Breakdown of Total Costs to end May 1995 — Minister of State Mitchell

05/03/95-	Brussels	Accommodation	448.80
06/03/95		Total Cost	448.80

Note: The expenditure in relation to all visits since June 1995 identified in the table is estimated. These estimated costs are based on previous similar trips abroad made by the Taoiseach and the Ministers of State at his Department. The actual full cost of each trip from June 1995 is unknown at this time because the Department of Foreign Affairs has yet to invoice the Department of the Taoiseach for them.

Travelling Party — Taoiseach's Trips

1. London 20/12/94

Taoiseach

Mr. F. Murray, Secretary to Government, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. R. Dooney, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. J. Foley, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. C. Butler, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Mongey, Security

2. Copenhagen

Taoiseach and Mrs. Bruton

Mr. G. Mitchell, Minister of State

Mr. D. McCarthy, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Donlon, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Hare, Department of the Taoiseach

3. USA 21/03/95

Taoiseach and Mrs. Bruton

Mr. P. Teahon, Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Donlon, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Mongey, Security

4. Brussels 29/03/95

Taoiseach

Mr. G. Mitchell, Minister of State, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. McCarthy, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. R. Dooney, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Mongey, Security

5. Manchester 06/05/95

Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Blessing, Security

6. Moscow and London 08/05/95

Taoiseach and Mrs. Bruton

Mr. P. Teahon, Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. R. Dooney, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Mongey, Security

7. Paris 09/06/95

Taoiseach and Mrs. Bruton

Mr. P. Teahon, Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. A. Dunning, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Mongey, Security

8. Cannes 25/06/95

Taoiseach and Mrs. Bruton

Mr. G. Mitchell, Minister of State

Mr. P. Teahon, Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. D. McCarthy, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. A. Dunning, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Ms C. Carey, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Blessing, Security

9. Canada 11/09/95

Taoiseach and Mrs. Bruton

Mr. F. Murray, Secretary to Government, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Donlon, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Mongey, Security

10. Majorca 22/09/95

Taoiseach and Mrs. Bruton

Mr. P. Teahon, Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. A. Dunning, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Mongey, Security

11. Madrid and New York

Taoiseach and Mrs. Bruton

Mr. D. McCarthy, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. A. Dunning, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. R. Dooney, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Blessing, Security

New York

Taoiseach and Mrs. Bruton

Mr. P. Teahon, Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. S. Kenny, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. R. Dooney, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. G. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Blessing, Security

Travelling Party — Minister of State Mitchell's Trips

1. Brussels 05/03/95

Mr. G. Mitchell, Minister of State

Mr. P. McGarry, Department of the Taoiseach

2. Luxembourg 11/06/95

Mr. G. Mitchell, Minister of State

Mr. P. McGarry, Department of the Taoiseach

3. Boston and New York 18/06/95

Mr. G. Mitchell, Minister of State.

Mr. P. McGarry, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. D. Morgan, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. T. Morris, Department of the Taoiseach

4. Cannes 25/06/95

See under Taoiseach's trips.

5. Brussels 16/07/95

Mr. G. Mitchell, Minister of State

Mr. P. McGarry, Department of the Taoiseach

6. Luxembourg 01/10/95

Mr. G. Mitchell, Minister of State

Mr. P. McGarry, Department of the Taoiseach

Travelling Party — Minister of State Carey's Trips

1. Brussels

Mr. D. Carey, Minister of State

Mr. J. Shaw, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. R. Holland, Department of the Taoiseach

Ivor Callely

Question:

64 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give a breakdown of foreign travel that he or the Ministers of State at his Department have undertaken; the total cost involved; the purpose of such trips; the number and list of passengers who travelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15152/95]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

Details of the trips undertaken by me in the period 31 January 1992 to 11 October 1994 have already been made available to the House in replies given on 7 October 1993 — Questions Nos. 16 and 32; 29 March 1994 — Question No. 86; and 11 October 1994 — Question No. 117.

Every effort continues to be made to keep the cost of visits to a minimum consistent with the appropriate discharge of my responsibilities as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and the responsibilities assigned to the two Ministers of State. Since my appointment I have been conscious of the need to keep expenditure on Ministerial travel to a minimum. On my appointment I arranged for the allocation to my office for this purpose to be reduced by approximately 12 per cent on that of my predecessor. This reduction was maintained in 1994 and again this year. Indeed I am happy to advise the House that the outturn for last year showed a saving of over 21 per cent on the allocation to my office under this heading.

Since 11 October 1994 I have fulfilled 13 European Union ministerial commitments, one EU Council commitment, eight Anglo-Irish commitments, two UN commitments, and one Western European Union commitment. I have also undertaken official visits to the European Parliament, the Middle East and Finland. Details of these trips and those undertaken by the two Ministers of State at my Department since their appointment in January 1995 are given in the tables below. In so far as the most recent trips are concerned, actual costs arising have not yet been brought fully to account and I will supply up to date figures to the Deputy as soon as they are available. I am confident that we will come in under budget again this year.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

Date	Destination	Purpose
24-25/10/94	London	Anglo-Irish Summit
30/10/94	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
18-19/12/94	Brussels	General Affairs Council
20/12/94	London	Anglo-Irish Summit
22-23/1/95	Brussels	General Affairs Council
26/1/95	London	Anglo-Irish Discussions
5-6/2/95	Brussels	General Affairs Council
27/2-1/3/95	Washington-New York	Anglo-Irish Discussions
5-6/3/95	Brussels	General Affairs Council
18-20/3/95	Carcassone-Paris	Informal General Affairs Council and Stability Pact Meeting
31/3/95	Oxford	British Irish Association Conference
5-6/4/95	Strasbourg	Visit to European Parliament
10/4/95	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
17-20/4/95	New York	UN Conference on Non-Proliferation Treaty
15/5/95	Lisbon	WEU Ministerial Meeting
16-17/5/95	London	Anglo-Irish Meeting
24-27/5/95	Washington	White House Conference
28-29/5/95	Brussels	General Affairs Council
2-3/6/95	Sicily	Messina Commemoration and Meeting of Reflec tion Group
11-19/6/95	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
	Middle East	Official Visit
25-27/6/95	Cannes	European Council
30/6/95	London	Anglo-Irish Conference
16-17/7/95	Brussels	General Affairs Council
8-10/9/95	Santander	Informal Foreign Affairs Meeting
24-30/9/95	New York-Washington	UN General Assembly
1-4/10/95	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
	Finland	Official Visit

Minister of State Burton

Date	Destination	Purpose
17-18/1/95	Geneva	Rwanda Conference
22-23/1/95	Brussels	General Affairs Council
15-16/2/95	Brussels	ACP-EU Ministerial Meeting
26-27/2/95	Geneva	UN Commission on Human Rights
2-3/5/95	Paris	OECD-DAC Meeting
23-24/5/95	Paris	OECD Ministerial Meeting
1/6/95	Luxembourg	Development Council
22/6/95	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
3-6/7/95	Geneva	ECOSOC High Level Meeting
25-27/9/95	Vienna	Inhumane Weapons Conference
9-13/10/95	Rwanda	President's Visit

Minister of State Mitchell

Date	Destination	Purpose
5-6/2/95	Brussels	General Affairs Council
13-14/2/95	Brussels	Intergovernmental Conference Meeting
	Bonn	Intergovernmental Conference Meeting
19-28/2/95	Japan	State Visit
16-17/3/95	Paris	Rio Group EU Ministerial Meeting
6/4/95	London	Meeting of Reflection Group
9-10/4/95	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
11-12/4/95	Madrid	Meeting of Reflection Group
10-11/5/95	Strasbourg	Council of Europe Meeting
28-29/5/95	Brussels	General Affairs Council
2-3/6/95	Messina	Messina Commemoration and Meeting of Reflection Group
29/6-3/7/95	Toledo	Meeting of Reflection Group
10-11/7/95	Strasbourg	Meeting of Reflection Group
24-25/7/95	Brussels	Meeting of Reflection Group
4-5/9/95	Brussels	Meeting of Reflection Group
11-12/9/95	Brussels	Meeting of Reflection Group
25-26/9/95	Brussels	Meeting of Reflection Group