The information the Deputy has requested is set out in the following table.
The largest component of my Department’s travel expenditure is required for home travel in the control inspections for EU schemes, animal health controls and meat inspection services. Also, my Department’s travel expenditure includes the costs associated with our obligations to attend meetings in Brussels related to the European Union. Additional foreign travel is undertaken for the purpose of increasing access to important third country markets.
Travel expenditure is continuously being monitored and activities that require regular travel are reviewed with a view to keeping travel costs at a minimum.
Year
|
Amount
|
2011
|
€8,763,706
|
2012
|
€8,212,966
|
2013
|
€8,105,695
|
2014
|
€8,048,844
|
2015
|
€8,075,073
|
2016 to date
|
€5,711,078
|