Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 397: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number and name of newspapers purchased by his Department daily and weekly; the number provided to himself and to the Minister of State's office; the yearly cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33525/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I have provided, for the benefit of the Deputy, a tabular statement setting out details of the newspapers purchased by my Department on a daily and weekly basis. In order to achieve value for money, my Department has an agreement with certain suppliers to allow it to vary the number of newspapers provided on a weekly basis to provide for changes in staff requirements and to avoid partially unused yearly subscriptions. As such, the table details the newspaper requirement for the week beginning 3rd December 2007.

As a rule four newspapers per day, seven days a week are provided to me as well as three weekly regional papers, once a week. The office of Minister of State for European Affairs, Dick Roche T.D. receives five daily newspapers, Monday to Friday. The Minister of State for Overseas Assistance, Michael Kitt T.D. personally receives three daily newspapers, Monday to Friday. Other personnel in the Ministers Offices receive papers from the above list. The estimated annual cost of the current newspaper order for my Department, as detailed above, is €143,000. The cost of the newspapers provided to the Ministerial offices is estimated to be €16,600 per annum.