Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 405: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total photography costs for his Department since coming to office; the list of occasions for which photographers were booked over the past year; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; if there is a policy around the booking of photographers within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9657/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I assume that the Deputy is referring to costs arising where photographers were engaged by my Department to cover Ministerial or Departmental events.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht was established on 2 June 2011. Relevant photography costs incurred by my Department since that date amounted to some €2,578. This includes costs both for the booking of photographers and some general ancillary costs, such as postage, etc, where relevant. The table below lists the occasions on which photographers were booked since June 2011 to date and the costs associated with each specific occasion.

* Part of a package of two events for the price of one

The hiring of photographers for Ministerial or Departmental events is dependent on a number of factors. These include the nature of the engagement, the expected level of media interest and the national/regional scope of the subject. At all times, value for money is a critical consideration in the context of the booking of photographers.