Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 July 2008
467 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during or following his meeting on 19 January 2005 with Mr. Zhou Ji of China, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25743/08]
View answer468 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during and following his meeting on 13 April 2005 with the Minister for Education of Namibia, Hon. Nangolo Mbumba, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25744/08]
View answer469 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during or following his meetings on 4 July 2005 and 27 October 2005 with the Chinese Ambassador to Ireland, Sha Hailin, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25745/08]
View answer470 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during or following his meeting on 11 October 2005 with the Egyptian Minister for Education, Yousri El-Gamal, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25746/08]
View answer471 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during or following his meeting on 22 and 23 February 2006 with Vice Minister Zhang Zhijun and Minister for Education Mr. Zhou Ji of China, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25747/08]
View answer472 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during or following his meeting on 28 February 2006 with Ambassador Manette Ramaili of the Kingdom of Lesotho, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25748/08]
View answer473 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during or following his meeting on 6 February 2007 with the Minister for Education of Namibia, Geoffrey Lungwangwa, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25749/08]
View answer474 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during or following his meeting on 19 June 2007 with Vice Minister Wu of China, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25750/08]
View answer475 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during or following his meeting on 10 October 2007 with Chinese Ambassador Zhang Xinsen, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25751/08]
View answer476 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during or following his meeting on 12 December 2007 with Ambassador Mohammed Bin Nawaf al Saud of Saudi Arabia, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25752/08]
View answer477 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Education and Science if, during or following his meeting on 3 April 2008 with Egyptian Ambassador Amr Helmy, he received gifts; if so, the gifts he received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25753/08]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 467 to 477, inclusive, together.
Gifts received by Ministers and Ministers of State from foreign dignitaries tend to be of a minor or symbolic nature, and the Department of Education and Science does not keep a record of such gifts, except where the gift exceeds a value of €650. Under the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995, any gift with a value in excess of €650 must be surrendered to the State and declared in the Minister's statement of registerable interests submitted to the Standards in Public Office Commission.
The Department's records indicate that no gifts covered by the Act were received by the Minister for Education and Science at the meetings referred to by the Deputy. The relevant statements of registerable interests have been published by the Standards in Public Offices Commission and can be viewed on the Oireachtas website.
