Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 309: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide details of any foreign trips made by him in the year 2010 and to date in 2011; the purpose of each trip; the costs associated with each trip broken down by air travel, ground transportation, hotel accommodation and entertaining expenses; if air travel was by way of commercial airline or Government jet; the exact mode of ground transportation used; the name of each hotel and the nature of the entertainment for which the expenses were incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2678/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In order to fulfil my duties as Minister for Foreign Affairs, I undertook a number of foreign trips in 2010. I have not undertaken any foreign travel to date in 2011. All of the travel was carried out in pursuit of Ireland's foreign policy objectives, our economic interests, or both. The majority of the travel arose directly from Ireland's active and committed membership of the EU and UN. Other travel commitments were undertaken following careful consideration of the value that a particular visit would contribute to Ireland's economic and foreign policy interests.

The details requested in relation to foreign travel undertaken during the period in question are included in the table below. In the timeframe available, it has not been possible to provide the full details requested. The Deputy may wish to be aware that in some cases, certain costs relating to overseas trips are covered by the host Government. Further, I would not ordinarily incur entertainment expenditure while abroad. Events, such as dinners, where they occur, are hosted by the relevant Ambassador.

My Department is fully compliant with the Department of Finance guidelines on foreign travel. My Department also operates its own detailed internal travel guidelines and practises which ensure cost effective travel practises. The central aim of the Departmental travel policy, which embraces both Ministers and officials, is to minimise official travel costs and to achieve value for money for expenditure necessarily incurred, consistent with the effective discharge of official duties.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 310: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide details of any foreign trips made by officials in his Department in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; the purpose of each trip; the costs associated with each trip broken down by air travel, ground transportation, hotel accommodation and entertaining expenses; if air travel was by way of commercial airline or Government jet; the mode of ground transportation used; the name of each hotel; the nature of the entertainment for which expenses were incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2693/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The nature of work of my Department necessitates extensive travel by officers of the Department. This includes, among other activities, servicing meetings and attending fora arising directly from Ireland's active and committed membership of the EU and UN, overseeing Ireland's official development assistance programme, and the operation of our diplomatic network. Given the amount of travel involved it is not possible, in the time available, to provide all the detail requested. However the table below provides an indication of the total expenditures for the years in question on travel related costs for officials and office holders at my Department. It should be noted that these totals relate to costs incurred at home and abroad, and therefore include travel costs related to the operation of the diplomatic network and not just travel between Ireland and abroad.

My Department is fully compliant with the Department of Finance guidelines on foreign travel. My Department also operates its own detailed internal travel guidelines and practises which ensure cost effective travel practises, both in Headquarters and throughout our network of 76 diplomatic missions abroad. During 2009, my Department engaged in a robust review of existing travel policies in order to ensure full compliance with all existing guidelines and to ensure best practices exist. There have been a number of revisions and reminders in regard to the application of travel policy operating throughout my Department. The central aim of the Departmental travel policy, which embraces both Ministers and officials, is to minimise official travel costs and to achieve value for money for expenditure necessarily incurred, consistent with the effective discharge of official duties.

*Travel undertaken by Government Jet is not included here as the details relating to this are a matter for the Department of Defence.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide details of hotel accommodation used by him within the State while on ministerial duties in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011; the name of each hotel in which he stayed; the costs associated with each stay and the purpose of each trip; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2723/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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During the period in question there has been only one instance where I used hotel accommodation in the State while on Ministerial duties. On the night of 22 June 2010 I stayed in the Maritime Hotel in Bantry, at a cost of €75, to facilitate attendance at the Commemoration Ceremony to mark the 25th Anniversary of the bombing of Air India Flight 182. The ceremony took place at Ahakista, Bantry, Co. Cork early in the morning of 23 June 2010. The Indian Government was represented by Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Kurshid and the Canadian Government by Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 312: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide details of any foreign trips made by officials in public bodies under the remit of his Department in the years 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011, the purpose of each trip; the costs associated with each trip broken down by air travel, ground transportation, hotel accommodation and entertaining expenses; if air travel was by way of commercial airline or Government jet; the mode of ground transportation used; the name of each hotel; the nature of entertainment for which expenses were incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2738/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are four bodies operating under the aegis of my Department - the Government Emigrant Services Advisory Committee; the Development Education Advisory Committee (DEAC); the Irish Aid Expert Advisory Group; and The Board of the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange (the Fulbright Commission). No foreign travel by members of the three advisory committees was paid for by my Department during the period in question. Further, these advisory committees, the administrations of which are serviced directly by my Department, do not have independent budgets which would pay for foreign travel.

The Board of the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange is jointly financed by the Irish and US Governments. It enjoys autonomy of management and administration, in accordance with the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991, and therefore I am not in a position to supply the details requested by the Deputy.