Official Travel

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 January 2011

Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Ceisteanna (293, 294, 295, 296)

Lucinda Creighton

Ceist:

341 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide details of any foreign trips made by him in the year 2010 and to date in 2011; the purpose of each trip; the costs associated with each trip broken down by air travel, ground transportation, hotel accommodation and entertaining expenses; if air travel was by way of commercial airline or Government jet; the exact mode of ground transportation used; the name of each hotel and the nature of the entertainment for which the expenses were incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2681/11]

Lucinda Creighton

Ceist:

343 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide details of hotel accommodation used by him within the State while on ministerial duties in the year 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; the name of each hotel in which he stayed; the costs associated with each stay and the purpose of each trip; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2726/11]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 341 and 343 together.

The costs and details of foreign trips made by me in the year 2010 and to date in 2011 are set out in Table 1. Details of hotel accommodation used while on official business within the state from 2009 to date are set out in Table 2.

Table 1
Location	Luxembourg
Dates (from – to)	6/6/2010 – 7/6/2010
Flight costs (type of air travel)	€454.97 (economy class – commercial airline)
Hotel costs (name of hotel)	€209 (Hotel Le Royal, Luxembourg)
Purpose of trip	EU Council of Ministers (EPSCO)
Location	Milwaukee, USA
Dates (from – to)	17/8/2010 – 22/8/2010
Flight costs (type of air travel)	€828.32 (economy class – commercial airline)
Hotel costs (name of hotel)	€521.42 (Milwaukee Athletic Club, Broadway, Milwaukee)
Purpose of trip	Milwaukee Irish Festival and other events including enterprise promotion

Table 2
Date	25/9/2009
Hotel costs (name of hotel)	€99 (Radisson SAS Hotel, Co. Donegal)
Purpose of trip	On Thursday 24th September 2009 Minister Hanafin officially opened the renovated Canon Donohoe Hall for Mohill Family Resource Centre in Leitrim and on Friday 25th September 2009 launched the Donegal Money Advice and Budgeting Service Education Programme in Letterkenny.

Lucinda Creighton

Ceist:

342 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide details of any foreign trips made by officials in his Department in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; the purpose of each trip; the costs associated with each trip broken down by air travel, ground transportation, hotel accommodation and entertaining expenses; if air travel was by way of commercial airline or Government jet; the mode of ground transportation used; the name of each hotel; the nature of the entertainment for which expenses were incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2696/11]

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív)

Details of expenditure on foreign travel and subsistence for the Department from 2009 to date in 2011 are set out in Table 1. The Department receives money from the EU as reimbursement (or partial reimbursement) of travel expenses incurred when officials travel to attend meetings in Brussels related to EU business.

Details of foreign travel and subsistence for the Department from 1/1/2009 to date

Category	2009	20102	2011
	€	€	€
Airfare	39,147	26,114	630
Travel2	17,653	11,749	104
Subsistence2	96,125	64,605	3,481
Management Fee	1,609	1,734	150
Travel Miscellaneous	4,598	1,370	—
Total:	159,132	105,572	4,365

1 Figures for 2010 are provisional and subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

2 Expenditure for Travel includes transportation costs such as taxis, buses, trains and ferries.

3 Subsistence figures include Civil Service subsistence payments and hotel accommodation costs.

Question No. 343 answered with Question No. 341.

Lucinda Creighton

Ceist:

344 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide details of any foreign trips made by officials in public bodies under the remit of his Department in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011, the purpose of each trip; the costs associated with each trip broken down by air travel, ground transportation, hotel accommodation and entertaining expenses; if air travel was by way of commercial airline or Government jet; the mode of ground transportation used; the name of each hotel; the nature of entertainment for which expenses were incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2741/11]

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív)

The information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.