Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 415: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [2670/11]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Aggregate processed details in respect of Ministerial travel for 2010 as well as for that thus far in 2011 are set out in the table below. Ministerial travel costs incurred predominantly relate to 9 EU Council of Agriculture Ministers meetings which were attended in the period under consideration. Other travel expenditure for the period included that related to travel in respect of trade promotion, bilateral meetings with EU counterparts and meetings of other organisations where Ministerial attendance was required or appropriate (e.g. OECD Ministerial meetings). The use of the Government jet was required on 6 occasions during 2010. Details in respect of individual journeys and meetings can be furnished at the Deputy's request.

* Other Costs include subsistence expenses, other transport costs and other miscellaneous expenses such as translators.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 416: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [2685/11]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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It is not possible to provide the Deputy with the level of detail requested on foreign travel undertaken by my officials and the related expenses in the time frame available. The following are summary details of expenditure on trips outside Ireland the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 to date.

*The number of trips and amounts paid are based on actual expenditure, i.e. the number of claims submitted by officials and the date of payment. The figures differ from the numbers of flights booked due to the delay between the date of the flight bookings and the submission/payment of claims. For example, flights have been booked in 2011 and trips undertaken but the related expenses claims have not yet been submitted or paid. A significant proportion of foreign trips undertaken are in relation to Irish representation at EU meetings. The cost of air travel is recoupable from the EU in these cases. A total of €491,364.64 was recouped from the EU since the beginning of 2009.

My Department operates a restrictive approach to foreign travel. Attendance at meetings abroad is determined in each case following careful consideration of the need to travel in order to represent national interests and of the appropriate level of representation.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [2715/11]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Details in respect of Ministerial hotel accommodation in Ireland necessitated during 2009 and 2010 are set out in the table below. No domestic hotel accommodation has been necessitated thus far in 2011.

*This public engagement was subsequent to attendance at a function in Limerick the previous evening (farm organisation AGM) and preceded attendance at another official function in Kilkenny (opening of porcine genetics company) on the same day.

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 418: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [2730/11]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Details of the foreign trips made by officials in the public bodies under the remit of my Department for the years in question would be an operational matter for the State Bodies/Agencies concerned. All such bodies are required to comply with Department of Finance guidelines and the Chairman of each body is required to provide assurance that such guidelines are respected.