Written answers
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Department of Defence
Official Travel
8:00 am
Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 441: To ask the Minister for Defence 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. [2673/11]
Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 444: To ask the Minister for Defence 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. [2718/11]
Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 441 and 444 together.
| Date | Name of Hotel | Costs Associated | Purpose of Trip | Mode of Ground Transport |
| 25th â 26thApril 2010 | Hotel Royal, Luxembourg, Belgium | â¬209 | Defence Minister's Meeting, Luxembourg | Car |
| 23rd â 24th September 2010 | Accommodation paid by EU Presidency | Nil | Defence Council Meeting, Ghent, Belgium | Car |
| 26th â 28th September 2010 | Hotel Prishtina, Pristina,Hotel Europe, Sarajevo | â¬87â¬86 | Visit to Irish troops serving with KFOR in Kosovo and EUFOR inBosnia & Herzegovina | Military Transport |
| 16th â 17th November 2010 | Accommodation paid by Swedish authorities | Nil | Live Exercise in Ronneby and Political Exercise in Stockholm as part of the Nordic Battlegroup Preparations | Official car of the Irish Ambassador to Sweden |
In relation to entertainment expenses, Minister Killeen hosted a dinner in Sarajevo on the 27th September 2010 for 11 officials at a cost of â¬349.05. It is not possible to isolate the costs associated with ground transportation on the above trips as transport was provided by officials and the Military as detailed above. The former Minister of Defence, Willie O'Dea, T.D., did not embark on any foreign trips in 2010.
The Ministerial Air Transport Service was availed of for all foreign travel during the period in question. Details of foreign trips using the Ministerial Air Transport Service in 2010 and to date in 2011 are set out in the tabular statement below.
| Aircraft | Date | Ministerial Time on Board | Route |
| Learjet 45 | 25th â 26thApril 2010 | 3hrs 20mins | Baldonnel - Luxembourg â Baldonnel |
| 23rd â 24th September 2010 | 3hrs | Baldonnel - Brussels â Baldonnel | |
| 26th â 28th September 2010 | 8hrs | Baldonnel - Pristina - Sarajevo â Baldonnel | |
| Gulfstream IV | 16th â 17th November 2010 | 4hrs 25mins | Baldonnel - Ronneby - Stockholm â Baldonnel |
With regard to the costs associated with the use of the Ministerial Air Transport Service, this Department follows the normal practice in the aviation business of costing aircraft by reference to the cost per flying hour under either of two headings:
(a) The direct cost, i.e. the costs which are additional to those associated with having the aircraft and which only arise when the aircraft is flown including maintenance, fuel and support services; and
(b) The total cost, i.e. the direct cost plus the costs associated with having the aircraft, i.e. depreciation and personnel costs
The costs associated with the dedicated MATS aircraft are as follows:
| Aircraft | Average Direct Cost Per Hour ⬠| Average Total Cost Per Hour ⬠|
| Gulfstream | 4,050 | 7,890 |
| Learjet | 1,270 | 2,950 |
The information requested in relation to domestic trips made by me in the years 2010 and to date in 2011 are set out in the table below.
| Date | Hotel | Amount | Purpose |
| 14th May 2010 | Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge,Co Kildare | â¬105 | Reserve Defence Force Representative Association Annual Delegate Conference |
| 20th - 21st May 2010 | Imperial Hotel, Cork | â¬198 | Visit to Collins Bks & Naval Base at Haulbowline |
| 17th June 2010 | Racket Hall Roscrea,Co Tipperary | â¬49 | Visit to Civil Defence HQ |
| 25th June 2010 | Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge,Co Kildare | â¬105 | Chief of Staff's funeral |
| 28th July 2010 | Ormonde Hotel, Kilkenny | â¬79 | Visit to Stephens Bks Kilkenny |
| 8th September 2010 | Abbey Court Hotel,Nenagh, Co Tipperary | â¬75 | Meeting re Civil Defence |
| 25th October 2010 | Clonmel Park Hotel, Clonmel,Co Tipperary | â¬75 | Visit to Kickham Barracks, Clonmel |
| 28th October 2010 | Cavan Crystal Hotel,Cavan Town | â¬75 | Visit to Cavan & Mullingar Barracks |
| 21st November 2010 | Great Northern Hotel, Bundoran,Co Donegal | â¬50 | Visit to Finner Camp |
The former Minister of Defence, Willie O'Dea, T.D., did not avail of hotel accommodation while on domestic Ministerial duties in 2009 or 2010.
Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for Defence 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. [2688/11]
Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 445: To ask the Minister for Defence 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. [2733/11]
Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 442 and 445 together.
It has not been possible in the time available to compile the information requested by the Deputy. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 443: To ask the Minister for Defence the occasions on which the Government jet was used to travel within the State in 2010 and to date in 2011; the purpose of each trip and the costs associated with each trip; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2703/11]
Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The dedicated Ministerial Air Transport Service aircraft, i.e. the Gulfstream IV & Learjet 45, have not been availed of by any Minister for travel within the State in 2010 or to date in 2011.
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