Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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301. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department held meetings separate to the management advisory council meetings which were attended by either him or the Minister of State and the management advisory council; if so, if he will provide in tabular form the number of such meetings that occurred in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47856/14]

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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302. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide in tabular form the number of Management Advisory Council meetings which were held for each of the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; if he will provide in tabular form the number of Management Advisory Council meetings that were attended by him, the Minister of State, the political adviser, the Secretary General and all other titles of attendees in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47872/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 302 together.

Management Advisory Committee (MAC) meetings take place in my Department on a fortnightly basis and are attended by all members of MAC except when unavailable due to other commitments. One of my advisors attends all MAC meetings. Ministerial MAC meetings happen periodically and are attended by both myself and Minister(s) of State. I meet with individual members of the MAC on a weekly basis and am in regular contact with them otherwise. Likewise the Minister’s of State in my department are also in regular contact with the appropriate member of the MAC in his/her particular area of responsibility.

Tables of attendance for the years requested by the Deputy are below.

Non MAC member officials of my Department attend MAC meetings from time to time for specific agenda items. These officials are generally at the level of Principal and Assistant Principal Officer level.