Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she 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 occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographers 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. [37379/12]

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. Up to 7 September 2012, the Department has paid for use of photography services on seven occasions since March 2011, as set out in the table. The total cost was less than €3,100.

The procurement of these photography services was 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 online via the National Procurement Services contract list at www.procurement.ie