Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Departmental Expenditure

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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140. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide 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 list of occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion on which 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. [29103/14]

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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My Department only avails of the services of external 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 where their own staff photographers cannot be fully accommodated. There was a significant number of such events in the period in question, including the State Visit of Queen Elizabeth II, the visit by President Obama and the Irish Chairmanship of the OSCE, all of which resulted in very positive international coverage of Ireland. In the case of Ireland's Presidency of the EU, there was a demand for photography which would not routinely apply.

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 and the photographers used are posted on the National Procurement Service website: . 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. In addition, my Department now makes greater use of in-house resources for photography.

The total cost of photography to my Department over the period in question is €124,647.67. The following table indicates the cost associated with particular events.

Event Cost
Expenditure of missions abroad*€23,563.51
State Visit of Queen Elizabeth II€22,662.70
Diplomatic Credentials Ceremonies€17,221.04
Official Visit by Chinese Vice President€7,321.58
State Visit of Prince Albert of Monaco€6,213.35
OSCE Ministerial Council€4,786.55
Official Visit by Japanese Prime Minister€2,555.94
Official Visit by Canadian Prime Minister€2,553.36
Official Visit by the King & Queen of Lesotho€2,473.14
Official Visit to Mozambique, Malawi & Tanzania€2,388.30
Global Irish Economic Forum 2013€2,175.20
Diplomatic Corps New Years Greetings €2,015.97
Global Irish Economic Forum€1,923.90
Inauguration of President Higgins€1,817.30
OSCE Event: Lessons learned from NI Peace Process€1,479.35
Launch of Our World Awards€1,268.05
Africa Ireland Economic Forum 2011€1,220.59
Presidential Distinguished Service Awards 2013€1,544.08
Our World Irish Aid Awards (National + Regional Finals)€942.18
Haiti Photographic exhibition €919.90
Irish Aid Centre education materials€741.80
Science for Development Award at BT Young Scientist €711.71
Launch of Commemoration Lecture Series €658.82
Irish Aid - One World One Future Policy Launch€637.14
Official Visit to Kenya€606.40
Official Visit by Indian Minister€599.75
Launch of the 2010 Irish Aid annual report€569.00
Launch of EU Presidency Logo€560.84
Launch of Africa Day 2011 - Dublin€526.35
Official Farewell for the British Ambassador €524.84
Meeting of EU Development Ministers€521.19
Western Balkans Conference€482.16
Africa Day 2013€478.45
Visit of Elders €430.50
OSCE 5+2 Conference€417.76
Visit of Congressman Morrison€412.05
Visit of Aung Sang Suu Kyi€393.92
Official Visit by US Congressional Delegation€388.62
Launch of Hunger Envoy's Report €379.33
Visit of Governor of Massachusetts€361.62
Simon Cumbers Fund Exhibition€350.86
Official Visit by US First Lady€327.18
Africa Ireland Economic Forum - 2012€319.80
Meeting with Japanese Ambassador€318.84
Launch of Certificate of Irish Heritage €296.23
HNCJ Conference€284.63
Irish Aid Trade and Development Conf.€282.41
UNRWA Commissioner General€246.00
Official Visit by Chinese Vice Premier Ma€223.86
Our World Irish Aid Awards 2014€223.86
Meeting with British delegation€209.10
Irish Aid Annual Report launch€206.64
100 Objects launch€206.64
Visit of Bill Gates€195.20
Visit of German Opposition Leader€194.88
Visit of Norwegian Foreign Minister€189.19
Irish Aid Our World Awards - 2013€171.23
Northern Voices Exhibition€167.28
EU Affairs Ministers Meeting€166.05
Visit of French Minister for European Affairs€166.05
Irish Aid Int'l Conf. on Agriculture€164.60
EU Working Group on Humanitarian Aid€154.98
OSCE 5+2 Conference (2)€153.75
Irish Aid Volunteering Fair 2013€137.76
Visit of Romanian Foreign Minister€137.76
Visit of Head of International Rescue Committee€137.76
Forum on female entrepreneurship€134.33
Irish Aid - AWEPA Conference€120.54
Lecture by Mark O'Neill€120.54
Visit of Swiss Foreign Minister€120.54
Irish Aid Fellowship Annual Meeting€119.55
Volunteering Fair, Limerick - 2011€119.55
Forum with Arab Ambassadors€116.85
Africa Day Launch, Limerick - 2011€115.85
BT Young Scientist - 2013€109.25
Meeting with UN Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region€103.32
Visit of Secretary General, Council of Europe€103.32
Global Irish Network Advisory Group€102.15
Official Visit to Korea/ Japan€95.00
Launch of review of Trade, Tourism & Investment Strategy€86.10
Total €124,647.67
*It was not possible to provide a full breakdown in the time available.

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