Official Engagements: 30 Jan 2008: Written answers (KildareStreet.com)

Written answers

Wednesday, 30 January 2008

Department of An Taoiseach

Official Engagements

8:00 pm

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 166: To ask the Taoiseach the cost of his recent visit to Africa; the mode of transport used; the dates of travel; the persons who accompanied him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1619/08]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I travelled to South Africa from 13th to 15th January and to Tanzania from 15th to 18th January, 2008. The purpose of the visits were to further develop Irish-South African bilateral relations and promote business links between our two countries and to visit Irish Aid funded development projects in both South Africa and Tanzania.

The official delegation included Mr. Micheál Martin, T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment who accompanied me for the visit to South Africa and Mr. Michael Kitt, T.D., Minister of State for Overseas Development, who travelled to both South Africa and Tanzania. The official delegation included the Ambassador of Ireland to South Africa and the Ambassador of Ireland to Tanzania. The remainder of the official delegation included the Government Press Secretary and senior officials of my Department and of the Department of Foreign Affairs (including Irish Aid), the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and appropriate security personnel.

I was accompanied to South Africa for the trade element of the visit by representatives from Irish Economic Agencies including Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia and IDA Ireland. I was also accompanied by a media delegation with representatives from RTE and the print media.

A full list of my official delegation and the accompanying delegations to both South Africa and Tanzania is set out below for the Deputy's information.

The delegation travelled to and from Africa by commercial flights. An aircraft was chartered for internal travel within Africa, following a tendering procedure carried out by the Department of Defence.

The visit to Africa was managed with a view to both economy and efficiency. As Head of Government, I was a guest of the respective governments of South Africa and Tanzania. My Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment are responsible for the travel and hospitality costs for the official delegation and the accompanying delegation, the security delegation and for the internal travel costs within Africa and hospitality for the media delegation. The economic agencies cover their own costs. It is too early to give a figure for the total cost of the visit as accounts with many suppliers (e.g. travel, hotels and catering) have yet to be finalised and the allocation of costs between Departments has to be completed. My Department's outcome will not be settled for some weeks to come.

I do, however, give an undertaking to the Deputy that full details of the cost of the visit will be supplied to him once the accounts have been finalised.

Taoiseach's visit to South Africa

13-15 January 2008

Official Delegation

Mr. Bertie Ahern T.D., Taoiseach

Mr. Mícheál Martin, T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Mr. Michael Kitt, T.D., Minister of State for Overseas Development, Department of Foreign Affairs

H.E. Mr. Colin Wrafter, Ambassador of Ireland to South Africa

Ms. Aisling de Búrca, Spouse

Ms. Mary Whelan, Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Brendan Rogers, Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs

Mr. John Callinan, Assistant Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach

Mr. Eoghan Ó Neachtain, Government Press Secretary

Ms. Angela O'Farrell, Counsellor, Department of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Richard Holland, Principal Officer, Department of the Taoiseach

Ms. Anne Webster, Principal Officer, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Mr. Jeremiah Joseph (Jerry) O'Connor, Special Advisor to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Mr. James McIntyre, Assistant Chief of Protocol, Department of Foreign Affairs

Accompanying Delegation

Ms. Lorraine Sweeney, Member of Advisory Board of Irish Aid

Mr. David Feeney, Private Secretary to the Taoiseach

Ms. Olive Melvin, Personal Assistant to the Taoiseach

Mr. Eddie Walsh, Government Press Officer

Ms. Bridget Flynn, Private Secretary to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Ms. Sheila Duffy, Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Overseas Development

Ms. Jane McCulloch, Protocol Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Mark O'Sullivan, Protocol Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Tony Maxwell, Official Photographer

Economic Agencies

Mr. Frank Ryan, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Ireland

Mr. Paul O'Toole, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Ireland

Mr. Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive Officer, Bord Bia

Mr. Barry O'Leary, Chief Executive Officer, IDA Ireland

Media Delegation

Mr. David Davin-Power, RTÉ

Mr. Magnus Kelly (Cameraman), RTÉ

Mr. Shaun Connolly, Irish Examiner

Mr. Mark Hennessy, Irish Times

Mr. Ciarán Byrne, Irish Independent

Mr. John Lee, Irish Mail on Sunday

Security Delegation

Detective Inspector Patrick B. Gilchrist, International Liaison and Protection Office

Detective Garda John Byrne, Personal Protection Officer

Detective Garda John Downey, Personal Protection Officer

Taoiseach's visit to Tanzania

15-18 January 2008