Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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825. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide, in tabular form, by year, the total photography costs for his Department since coming into office, inclusive of costs incurred from the use of the ministerial allowance; if he will provide the list of occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; 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. [23416/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table and covers the period March 2011 to June 2015: Photography Costs

Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources

March 2011 - June 2015

Photographers are booked for the purpose of recording key events attended by Ministers, such as the launch of schemes and programmes, new initiatives and visits by inward delegations. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, following an EU-level advertised procurement process, has established a Framework Agreement comprising five firms for the provision of photography services. The Framework was established in February 2012 and is open for use by all Government Departments and Offices. My Department avails of this Framework Agreement for photography needs.

Payments from Ministerial allowances are not a charge on the Vote of the Department and, therefore, my Department does not hold information on these allowances.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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826. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide, in tabular form, by year, the use of external public relations firms employed by his Department since coming to office; if he will provide the list of uses of the external public relations firm, and the internal Department policy with regard to employing external groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23432/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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My Departmental remit includes complex policy areas, oversight of State regulation and service provision across key strategic services such as energy and public broadcasting, and regulation of sectors such as mining and hydrocarbon exploration. Given the technical complexity, economic significance and community interest in these areas, there is a requirement to disseminate information and address specific issues as they arise. The Department, therefore, necessarily incurs some expenditure on public relations from time to time. In procuring these services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and to keep expenditure to the minimum necessary.

The information which the Deputy requested is outlined in the following table: