Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 387: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of money spent on hotel accommodation by his Department and each State agency under the aegis of his Department for each of the years 2004 to date in 2008; if he will provide the information available in tabular readable form. [46676/08]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 388: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the procurement arrangements in place in his Department and each State agency under the aegis of his Department for the sourcing of hotel accommodation for him, for his departmental staff and staff at each State agency, when overnight accommodation is necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46691/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together.

The general position in my Department is that payments for overnight subsistence are made at standard rates in line with Department of Finance guidelines. Such standard payments are intended, inter alia, to cover any hotel accommodation costs for officials that may arise. However, direct expenditure on hotel accommodation may arise in certain cases — for example, if the overnight subsistence rate does not cover the cost of hotel accommodation for officers travelling abroad. In the case of hotels abroad, my Department has a contract in place with a service provider who has special negotiated hotel rates in Brussels hotels and access to a global hotel programme with over 12,000 properties in 47 countries, with an average discount of 20% on corporate rates. All such expenditure is paid in accordance with Department of Finance guidelines. Similar arrangements to those set out in the preceding paragraph also apply to Oifig Choimisinéir na dTeangacha Oifigiúla and the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests. With regard to other bodies funded from within my Department's ministerial Vote group, my Department has been assured that the procurement arrangements in place comply with relevant Department of Finance guidelines. Relevant information on direct expenditure on hotel accommodation costs arising in respect of my Department and bodies funded from within my Department's ministerial Vote group is being compiled. I have arranged for it to be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.