Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 420: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the costs, staff numbers and premises associated with the Embassy of Ireland to the Holy See and the Embassy of Ireland to Italy respectively in 2007, 2008 and 2009; their respective budgets for 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31588/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The details sought in relation to the Embassy of Ireland to the Holy See and the Embassy of Ireland to the Italian Republic are included in the following tabular form. The Embassy of Ireland to the Italian Republic is also accredited to Libya and San Marino, and the Ambassador to Italy is Ireland's Permanent Representative to the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) - all international organisations based in Rome. During the period in question the Ambassador to Italy was also accredited to Malta. The operating costs figures for each Embassy as detailed below relate to: salaries, travel, post and telecommunications, office machinery, office premises expenses and incidental expenses.

In regard to Embassy premises: the Embassy to the Holy See is owned by the State, where the Chancery and Ambassadorial Residence are combined in a single building. Premises expenses as detailed below relate to the maintenance of the building. In the case of the Embassy to Italy, both the Chancery and the Residence are rented properties and the premises expenses figures below primarily relate to these rental costs. The Residence is rented on favourable terms as the Irish State has rented the property for over fifty years. The Chancery is rented on a long term lease having moved into its current premises in 1996. It should be noted that there is no possibility of combining either the premises or Ambassadorial duties of these two Missions, as apart from having very different purposes, the Vatican will not accept the accreditation of an Ambassador who is also the Ambassador to the Italian Republic and neither will they accept the accreditation of an Embassy with the same address as the Embassy to the Italian Republic.

* Staff figures do not include domestic staff employed by each Ambassador.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 421: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Irish embassies and or diplomatic residencies that had up grade works carried out, minor or otherwise, in 2007, 2008 2009 and to date in 2010; if he will provide a list of same; and the expected cost of same. [31589/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is in the following table: