Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Taoiseach the total photography costs for his Department by his two predecessors in the past 10 years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40699/12]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The table below details expenditure by the Department of the Taoiseach on photography from 2001 to 9th March 2011.

* This figure includes a number of major events such as the visit of President Obama and the Presidential Inauguration for which professional photography was required and which incurred significant costs.

Increasingly my department utilises its own staff to take photographs in-house, thereby reducing costs. Expenditure to-date in 2012 at €7,136.65 indicates the significant cost reductions achieved by the utilisation of newly developed in-house facilities. The full year figures for 2012 will compare favourably to the costs incurred in 2008 which were €83,398.00.

For major events such as the upcoming Irish Presidency of the European Council and inward state visits my Department will continue to use the services of a professional photographic agency, but costs will be monitored and kept to a minimum.