Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2009
168 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach the annual cost to his Department of Ministerial expenses related to overseas travel engagements; and the event and the expense for same in each of the past ten years. [33088/09]
View answerThe following table details the annual cost to my Department of Ministerial expenses related to overseas travel engagements for the years 1999 to August 2009.
|
Year |
Taoiseach & Officials from Private Office |
Chief Whip & Officials from Private Office |
Minister of State for European Affairs & Officials from Private Office |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
1999 |
48,982.95 |
7,110.42 |
|
|
2000 |
201,518.10 |
25,148.88 |
|
|
2001 |
116,075.67 |
30,246.51 |
|
|
2002 |
226,060.35 |
16,713.69 |
3,908.11 |
|
2003 |
80,696.43 |
27,154.61 |
30,286.71 |
|
2004 |
181,130.20 |
46,926.45 |
28,995.04 |
|
2005 |
267,149.77 |
29,170.46 |
26,722.42 |
|
2006 |
218,839.64 |
16,087.43 |
18,515.30 |
|
2007 |
118,889.84 |
13,476.28 |
32,342.54 |
|
2008 |
261,562.32 |
2,238.24 |
4,965.79 |
|
YTD August 2009 |
110,230.63 |
11,660.85 |
5,184.33 |
Typically the costs are in respect of the Taoiseach, Private Office Staff, and Security and include the following:
foreign subsistence,
hotel costs,
air fares,
taxi expenses,
car hire,
telecommunication expenses,
ferry charges,
road tolls,
carbon emission charges and
other receipted expenses.
It should be noted that the majority of costs in relation to the Minister of European Affairs are in respect of Private Office staff, as the Minister's expenses are paid by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The table below details overseas travel engagements by the Taoiseach from 1st of January 2008 to end August 2009:
|
Date |
Event |
|
14 – 18 January 2008 |
Official visit to South Africa and Tanzania |
|
26 – 28 February 2008 |
Official visit to Slovenia, Austria (including OSCE) and Poland |
|
16 – 18 March 2008 |
St Patrick’s Day visit to Washington |
|
29 April – 2 May 2008 |
Official trip to Washington and Boston |
|
13 – 14 July 2008 |
EU Mediterranean Summit, Paris |
|
15 – 18 July 2008 |
Official visit to New York |
|
24 – 26 September 2008 |
UN Summit, New York |
|
26 September 2008 |
BIC meeting, Edinburgh |
|
15 – 16 October 2008 |
EU Council, Brussels |
|
21 – 26 October 2008 |
ASEM Summit in China |
|
27 – 28 November 2008 |
Meet with Heads of State in Finland and Sweden |
|
3 – 4 December 2008 |
Meet with Heads of State in Luxembourg, Berlin and London |
|
5 December 2008 |
Meet with UK Prime Minister in London followed by meeting with EU Commissioner in Brussels |
|
11 – 12 December 2008 |
EU Council, Brussels |
|
11 – 17 January 2009 |
Official visit to Japan |
|
29 – 30 January 2009 |
World Economic Forum, Davos |
|
14 – 18 March 2009 |
St Patrick’s day visit to New York and Washington |
The table below details overseas engagements attended by the Chief Whip, Mr Pat Carey, T.D. from 1st of January 2008 to end August 2009:
|
Date |
Event |
|
24-26 January 2008 |
Ministerial conference: ICT for an Inclusive Society, Riga, Latvia |
|
21-22 February 2008 |
Informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers, Brdo, Slovenia |
|
13-18 March 2008 |
St Patricks Day Celebrations, Vienna, Austria |
|
29-31 March 2008 |
British/Irish Council, Edinburgh, Scotland |
|
25-26 September 2008 |
British/Irish Council, Edinburgh |
|
14-19 March 2009 |
St Patricks Day Celebrations, Boston, USA |
|
13-18 August 2009 |
Representing Government at “Milwaukee Irish Fest”, Milwaukee, USA |
The table below details the events attended by the Minister of State for European Affairs from 1st of January 2008 to end August 2009:
|
Date |
Event |
|
11 – 19 March 2008 |
St. Patrick’s Day, Shanghai |
|
9 – 10 April 2008 |
Meetings with Comms. McCreevy and Walstrom |
|
2 – 6 July 2008 |
Quebec 400 Celebrations |
|
12 – 14 July 2008 |
Informal Council Meeting (Brest) and meeting with Pres. Sarkozy in Paris |
|
9 – 10 Nov 2008 |
Various meetings re Lisbon (Brussels) Armistice Commemoration, Paris |
|
25 – 26 Nov 2008 |
Various meetings re Lisbon Treaty, Prague |
|
8 – 9 December 2008 |
Various meetings re Lisbon Treaty, Riga |
|
26th February 2009 |
Various meetings re Lisbon Treaty, Brussels |
|
5 – 6 March 2009 |
CEPS Annual Conference, Brussels |
|
18th May 2009 |
GAERC |
|
26 – 28 June 2009 |
OSCE Conference, Corfu |
|
9 – 10 July |
Croatia Summit 2009 |
It is not practicable to provide all of the details of the events attended over the last ten years, however I would be happy to provide details in relation to any specific queries the Deputy may have.
