Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 6 May 1998

Vol. 490 No. 5

Written Answers. - Departmental Costs.

Nora Owen

Ceist:

248 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the costs incurred since July 1997 for public relations and media advice to him, for personal photographs or any photographic work to cover functions attended by him outside of the normal coverage provided by photographers of local and national papers. [10724/98]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

Matters relating to public relations and the media are handled by officials in my Department and no other costs have been incurred in respect of public relations or media advice to me since July 1997.

The cost of photographic work arising from functions which I have attended since July 1997 amounted to £5,508. The Deputy may be interested to know that this compares very favourably with the figures for the previous two years which were £16,045 and £19,837 for 1995 and 1996 respectively.