Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 December 2019
80. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Taoiseach the photography costs for his Department in each of the years March 2011 to 2018 and to date in 2019; the costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance; the occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the costs associated with each occasion a photographer was used in tabular form; and if there is a policy in his Department regarding the booking of photographers. [50579/19]
View answerThe information on photography costs for my Department for the period from March 2011 to date, is set out in tabular form in the link below. These tables include the cost, the name of the photographer and the occasions involved.
Photographers are engaged for official purposes only. Local photographers are used on international visits, trade missions etc., to maximise cost efficiencies. Photography costs in my Department have reduced significantly in recent years. The 2018 expenditure of €10,052 represents a reduction of more than 85% when compared with expenditure of €83,398 in 2008.
Increasingly my Department utilises its own staff to take photographs in-house, thereby reducing costs.
