Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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Question 578: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the sum of any public funds and their purpose which have been awarded by his Department either directly or indirectly to the Irish Business and Employers' Confederation in the past decade. [22257/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The payments made by my Department were generally in respect of forestry-related work undertaken by the Irish Forest Industry Chain (IFIC), an affiliate of Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) – payments were, however, made payable to IBEC.

Prior to the assignment of responsibility for Forestry to this Department with effect from 1 Jan 2004, amounts were also paid, by the Department of Marine and Natural Resources, in relation to a 'National Forestry Information Initiative' undertaken by IFIC – from the records available at this stage, the total amount paid over the period was €141,030.17.

Seven of the State Bodies that fall under my Department's remit are also fully paid up members of this organisation – Bord Bia, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Marine Institute, Bord na gCon, Horse Racing Ireland, Irish National Stud and Coillte.