Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 453: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount that was spent by her Department on official hospitality in the past 12 months. [26576/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A total of €165,046.93 was spent by my Department on official hospitality in the past twelve months. This total includes: €114,442.02 was spent on catering for meetings and other events hosted in the Department's offices in Dublin, Athlone and Tullamore. This amount includes the provision of teas/coffees, refreshments, lunches and dinners for meetings, conferences and receptions. €50,035.95 was spent on official hospitality for meetings, seminars and conferences hosted by the Department in other venues. For example, the cost includes refreshments for a briefing seminar on the 2007 Student Support Schemes attended by 136 people from Local Authorities and VECs. Refreshments were also provided for over 550 school representatives who attended two briefing sessions on the Devolved School Building Scheme, hosted by the Department's School Building Unit. A total of €568.96 was spent on events hosted by myself and the Ministers of State.