Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
52. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline his activities and engagements carried out at the Great Irish Famine international commemoration in Australia; if he will state and itemise the expenditure on this trip; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38476/13]
View answer742. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide the list of all engagements that he had in the course of his August 2013 visit to Australia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37543/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 742 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the focal point for my recent visit to Sydney, Australia, was attendance at a series of events to mark the fifth International Irish Famine Commemoration. As Chair of the National Famine Commemoration Committee, I represented the Irish Government at the 2013 International Famine Commemoration ceremony at Hyde Park, Sydney, on Sunday 25th August 2013 where over 450 people were in attendance.
In addition to representing the Government at famine-related events, I attended a number of meetings to engage business/trade contacts and meet Enterprise Ireland clients. I also attended a Tourism Ireland networking event to promote Ireland's rich tourism product and engaged with a range of media, political, sports, cultural and Irish community contacts in Australia. I visited the Penrith Gaels Club and the Irish Australian Welfare Board, where I met with Irish emigrants and members of the local community.
During my visit, I held a number of meetings and made contacts at Governmental level. These included meetings with Prof. Marie Bashir, Governor of NSW, Mr. Greg Smith, MP, NSW Attorney General/Minister for Justice, Mr. George Souris, MP, NSW Minister for the Arts, and Ms. Robyn Parker, MP, NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage. We discussed issues of common interest between the two countries, including the creation of jobs, emigration and the Irish economy.
I also had engagement with a range of practitioners in the culture, heritage and language sectors, including a visit to the University of Sydney's Department of Celtic Studies and a visit to the Royal National Park.
Throughout this official visit, I was very pleased to see the political goodwill to Ireland and the keen interest in Irish culture which exists in Australia and I believe that my visit will yield a number of important benefits over the period ahead. In this regard, I have asked officials in my Department to progress opportunities to deepen the artistic and cultural exchange between Ireland and Australia, with a view to also enhancing commercial and trade opportunities between both countries.
In relation to the costs arising for the trip, these are itemised below. The delegation was small, consisting of myself, my private secretary and one accompanying official. The total cost for the trip was of the order of €17,000 as follows:
-Flights - €13,032
-Accommodation & subsistence - €3,247
-Transport/car hire - €635
-Incidental - €165.
