Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will detail, in tabular form, the total photography costs for his 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 photographer was used; if there is a policy regarding the booking of photographers within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37374/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The total spend by my Department on photography since March 2011 is €77,411.73. The table outlines the costs associated with each occasion.

*It was not possible in the time available to provide a detailed breakdown.

My Department only utilises the services of official photographic agencies where it is warranted, in particular, for major events and State occasions. This is a service which my Department provides so that the media can easily and freely avail of photography for important events where their own staff photographers cannot be fully accommodated. As the table indicates there were a significant number of such events in 2011. In September 2011, my Department led a collaborative advertised tender process for the procurement of a multi-supplier competitive framework of photographic service providers. This is now available for use by all Government Departments. Details of the new framework arrangements are posted on the National Procurement Service website: www.procurement.ie/suppliers/contracts/1298 . The purpose of this framework is to ensure Departments’ compliance with EU procurement rules and to ensure value for money by having a competitive process for photographic assignments.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will detail in tabular form, the total cost of providing entertainment for his Department since coming to office inclusive of costs incurred from use of the Ministerial allowance; the occasions for which entertainment was provided; the entertainers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion; if there is a policy regarding the booking of entertainers within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37446/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Since February 2011, a total of €29,179 has been spent by my Department in providing entertainment at a small number of events. Details are contained in the table below. The performance of Riverdance during the visit to Ireland by China’s Vice-Premier was part of a cultural programme requested by the Chinese Embassy. The Riverdance show has toured widely in China and has strong cultural resonance.

Entertainment was provided at a number of events relating to Ireland’s Chairmanship-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for 2012. The OSCE is an intergovernmental regional security organisation comprising 56 States from Europe, Central Asia and North America. Ireland assumed the Chairmanship for the first time on 1 January 2012 for one calendar year.

As Chair, Ireland is required to host and contribute to a number of conferences and events throughout the year. As well as providing valuable opportunities to promote tourism and trade, these events offer a chance to showcase Irish music, arts and culture. In this regard, four Irish musicians were invited to perform at a cultural event marking the opening of Ireland’s OSCE Chairmanship, at a total cost of €4,270.00. The ‘Damhsa’ Irish dancing troupe was contracted to perform at an OSCE Charity Ball in March 2011 at a total cost of €4,059.00. Two harpists were invited to perform for participants in two smaller OSCE events hosted in Dublin in February and April of this year at a total cost of €350.00.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent on food and drink by his Department; if he will provide a breakdown of what this involved; the occasions on which food and drink was provided; those present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37462/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Deputy will be aware that my Department, and its network of diplomatic missions abroad, carries out many functions on behalf of the State that require a budget for hospitality. In the time provided, it is not possible to provide a breakdown of every occasion. In 2011, my Department spent €501,120 on State and official entertainment. This covers the costs associated with State and Official Visits to Ireland by Heads of State or Government or other high-level visiting dignitaries, costs associated with Official or State Visits abroad by the President, certain costs associated with Official Visits abroad by the Taoiseach and miscellaneous expenditure associated with visits and events such as printing of invitations and the purchase of flags.

There is also budget provision for official entertaining carried out by Divisions of my Department in pursuit of their business objectives including entertainment costs incurred in relation to the Irish Aid programme. Spending in 2011 amounted to €103,880.

Officers serving at Diplomatic Missions abroad are required to carry out certain representational duties in line with the Department’s strategies and the Mission’s business plan. Official representation is an important avenue towards achievement of Mission and Departmental objectives, including the promotion of Ireland’s political, economic and cultural interests in the European Union and in the wider world. The quality and outreach nature of representational activity also present a positive image of Ireland on the international stage.

Representation expenditure is incurred within clearly defined Departmental guidelines and also guidelines issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Over the past four years expenditure on representation has been brought back to 2003/2004 levels, including a cut to Mission representation budgets of nearly 30% in 2010. Spending on representational duties in 2011 amounted to €1.98m.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent on hair and make-up by his Department since he came to office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37478/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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My Department has not incurred any expenditure on hair and make-up during the period in question.