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Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 October 2013

Wednesday, 2 October 2013

Ceisteanna (27)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

27. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the costs incurred by his Department in using VIP services at Irish airports during Ireland’s chairmanship of the OSCE and the Irish Presidency of the European Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41190/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The service provided by the Dublin Airport Authority facilitates secure and prompt entry and exit from Dublin Airport. This is a necessary security measure for visiting Heads of State and Government. Such facilities are provided for high-level delegations only. The total cost of services for visiting Ministers and Heads of State and Government provided by the Dublin Airport Authority during Ireland’s Chairmanship of the OSCE and the EU Presidency amounted to €209,660. The costs arising in connection with the EU Presidency for all Government Departments/Bodies for meetings convened during the six-month Presidency by every Government Minister and some Ministers of State came to €178,091. Thirteen Ministerial meetings, attended by visiting Ministers from all 27 EU member states, and other high level meetings were hosted in Dublin during the EU Presidency.

All Presidency-related events were conducted in the most cost-effective manner possible, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade negotiated a reduced rate with the Airport Authority for the duration of the Presidency. Total expenditure on the Irish Presidency across all Government Departments/Bodies is expected to be less than €51 million, or approximately €9m less than the initial budgetary allocation of €60m. This compares with a cost of €110 million for the previous Irish Presidency in 2004. Costs arising in connection with the OSCE Chairmanship amounted to €31,569. The OSCE Ministerial meeting – the largest ever Ministerial meeting held in Ireland – involved fifty visiting Foreign Ministers and their delegations, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, British Foreign Minister William Hague, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the UN Envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi.

Cost of Services, Dublin Airport

Chairmanship of OSCE

Presidency of EU Council

€31,569

€178,091

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