Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 18 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 2

Written Answers. - Ministerial Travel.

Brian Cowen

Ceist:

113 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number and cost of staff in his general and private ministerial offices and the general and private ministerial offices of the Minister(s) of State at his Department; the number and cost of contract and part-time staff employed in such offices; the cost of all travel undertaken by him or the Minister(s) of State at his Department since appointment to office outlining the destinations visited, the duration, dates and purpose of the trips; and the total expenses incurred by him or the Minister(s) of State at his Department. [15314/95]

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

115 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will give a breakdown of foreign travel that he or the Ministers of State at his Department have undertaken; the total cost involved; the purpose of such trips; the number and list of passengers who travelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15143/95]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

I propose to take Questions No. 113 and 115 together. The information requested is as follows:

Staffing

Office of the Minister

	No. of Staff	No. of Contract Staff	No. of Part-time Staff	Annual Cost of Staff
				£
General Office	11	2	0	152,300
				60,919
				Nil
Constituency Office Wexford		1		9,029
			0	Nil

Office of the Minister of State

	No. of Staff	No. of Contract Staff	No. of Part-time Staff	Annual Cost of Staff
				£
General Office	9			139,210
		1		32,315
			0	Nil
Constituency Office Co. Kerry		4 (includes 2 drivers)		57,750
			0	Nil

Travel

1. Minister

Destination	Dates	Duration	Purpose of Trip	No. of Passengers who travelled	List of passengers who travelled
London	15-16 January 95	2 days	Bilateral Meeting with UK Minister for Agriculture	3	Minister, Secretary and 1 Official
Berlin	19-20 January 95	2 days	Attendance at International Green week	5	Minister, Secretary and 3 Officials
Brussels	23-24 January 95	2 days	Council of Ministers	6	Minister, Secretary and 4 Officials
Brussels	9-10 February 95	2 days	Bilateral Meeting with Commissioner Fischler EU Commissioner for Agriculture	5	Minister, Secretary and 3 Officials
Brussels	19-21 February 95	3 days	Council of Ministers	8	Minister, Secretary and 6 Officials
Toulouse	12-16 March 95	5 days	Informal Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting (Toulouse) Guest of Honour at Bord Fáilte/Irish Horse Racing Authority dinner (Cheltenham)	5	Minister and Mrs. Yates, Secretary and Mrs. Dowling and 1 Official
Madrid	19-21 March 95	3 days	Bilateral Meeting with Spanish Minister for Agriculture	3	Minister, Secretary and 1 Official
Brussels	27-28 March 95	2 days	Council of Ministers	8	Minister, Secretary and 6 Officials
Luxembourg	10-11 April 95	2 days	Council of Ministers	9	Minister, Secretary and 7 Officials
London	24-25 April 95	2 days	Attendance at International Food Exhibition	4	Minister, Secretary and 2 Officials
U.S.A.	7-13 May 95	7 days	Forbairt Promotional Trip	2	Minister and Secretary
Brussels	29-30 May 95	2 days	Council of Ministers	10	Minister, Secretary and 8 Officials
Paris	11-13 June 95	3 days	Launch of an Bord Bia Lamb Promotion Week	3	Minister and 2 Officials

Destination	Dates	Duration	Purpose of Trip	No. of Passengers who travelled	List of passengers who travelled
Brussels	19-22 June 95	4 days	Council of Ministers	9	Minister, Secretary and 7 Officials
Luxembourg	17-18 July 95	2 days	Council of Ministers	8	Minister, Secretary and 6 Officials
Lisbon	24-26 July 95	2 days	Bilateral meeting with Portuguese Minister for Agriculture	4	Minister and Mrs. Yates and 2 Officials
London	8-15 September 95	8 days	Meeting with Lord Sterling, Chair- man P & O	4	Minister, Secretary and 2 Officials
New Zealand			New Zealand Meat Industry Associ- ation Conference	2	Minister and Secretary
Spain	17-19 September 95	2 days	Informal Council of Minister meeting	5	Minister and Mrs. Yates, Secretary and Mrs. Dowling and 1 Official
Brussels	25-26 September 95	2 days	Council of Ministers	5	Minister, Secretary and 3 Officials

2. Minister of State

Destination	Dates	Duration	Purpose of Trip	No. of Passengers who travelled	List of passengers who travelled
Brussels	21-22 February '95	2 days	Met EU Commissioners Fischler and Flynn and Deputy Director Milano on LEADER Programme	3	Minister of State and 2 Officials
San Jose, California	12-16 March '95	5 days	Meeting arranged by IDA with US industrialists regarding potential investment in Ireland	1	Minister of State
South Africa	18-26 May '95	9 days	Met South African delegation on greyhound industry	1	Minister of State
Madrid	1-2 June '95	2 days	Launch of new season Irish lamb on Spanish market by An Bord Bia	1	Minister of State
London	24-25 June '95	2 days	Greyhound Derby	2	Minister of State and Mrs. Deenihan
Birmingham	3-4 July '95	2 days	Royal Show, Stoneleigh	4	Minister of State, Secretary and 2 Officials
Dusseldorf Cologne	29 September 2 October '95	4 days	Visiting Bayer research facility and Anuga Fair	4	Minister of State, Secretary and 2 Officials
Milan	12-13 October '95	2 days	Bord Bia promotion	2	Minister of State and 1 Official

Total Net Cost of Foreign Travel for Minister and Minister of State is £11,263.28.

Total expenses paid to Minister and Minister of State from date of taking-up duty to date is £22,318.08.

Claims have not yet been submitted in respect of recent travel.

Cost of travel on Government Jet not included.