Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the total spend by his Department on carbon offsets for official travel undertaken by him and his Minister of State for 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; to whom this money, if any, has been awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30283/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the Deputy that the total spend by my Department on carbon offsets for official travel undertaken by myself, my predecessors and by the Ministers of State for 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010 are set out in tabular form below:-

The Irish Government Offsetting Scheme commenced with effect from 14 June 2007 and the offsetting payment for 2007 reflects this. Emissions calculated in respect of all travel by Ministers and Ministers of State on the Government Jet are determined by the Department of An Taoiseach. The value of the total offsetting costs in each year is invested by Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) in the purchase of Gold Standard Voluntary Emissions Reductions (GS VERs). In purchasing GS VERs, REEEP has been asked to focus on Ireland's priority Overseas Development Aid countries in Africa.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the total cost of travel and subsistence to public servants in his Department arising from travel to meetings or events in Dublin and Brussels from offices that have been decentralised for 2010 to date, for 2009, and for 2008; if he will state to whom this money, if any, has been awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30298/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's records of expenditure on travel and subsistence are not maintained in a way which would facilitate the extraction of the particular details sought by the Deputy. This could only be achieved by the deployment of staff to sift through a large volume of records and this would not be justified on a cost effective use of staff resources.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the total spend of his Department on public advertisements in national and local print media, radio and television for 2009 and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30313/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that in general, my Department does not have a requirement to engage in advertising. Expenditure of approximately €177,000 was incurred in 2009 in placing public information notices - principally relating to public safety notices warning of the dangers of fireworks. I regard this expenditure as wholly appropriate and completely necessary.