Ministerial Travel

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2014

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

Ceisteanna (685)

Terence Flanagan

Ceist:

685. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide details of all official foreign trips she and Ministers of State in her Department plan to take between now and the end of 2015; if she will provide the names of the persons she and Ministers of State in her Department will meet on these trips; the purpose of the trips; the duration of the trips; if there are plans to use all of these trips to promote Ireland as a good place for doing business and as a destination for foreign direct investment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48027/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

I wish to advise the Deputy that I do not have any overseas engagements confirmed for 2015 as of yet. I wish to further advise that neither of my colleagues, Minister of State McHugh and Minister of State Ó Ríordáin, has any overseas engagements confirmed for 2015 as of yet in relation to their responsibilities in my Department. The Deputy will appreciate that Ministers and Ministers of State undertake foreign trips from time to time in order to fulfil official duties. Every effort is made to maximise the opportunities that such trips present to promote Ireland and full itineraries are planned in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In that context, overseas engagements in 2015 could potentially be proposed over the coming months.