Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will detail, in tabular form, the total photography costs for her Department since coming to office inclusive of costs incurred from use of the Ministerial allowance; the list of occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; if there is a policy regarding the booking of photographers within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24758/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Photography services are used, in conjunction with press releases and conferences, to communicate the Department's initiatives, schemes and services to customers and to the regional and national media. Photography services were used on seven occasions since March 2011, as set out in the table below. The total cost was less than €3,100, as detailed in the attached tabular statement. I do not draw down any Ministerial Allowances.

The procurement of these photography services is carried out in accordance with national and EU procurement procedures. Since March 2012, the Department has been procuring photography services under the Framework Agreement established by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in February 2012. Full details of the Framework are available on-line via the National Procurement Services contract list at www.procurement.ie .

Tabular Statement