Written answers

Thursday, 16 July 2015

Department of Defence

Departmental Expenditure

Photo of Martin HeydonMartin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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347. To ask the Minister for Defence the amount of investment from capital spending his Department has made in County Kildare since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29911/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department is engaged in an ongoing capital building programme designed to modernise and enhance the training, operational and accommodation facilities available to members of the Defence Forces. The capital building programme focuses mainly on infrastructural projects comprising the construction of new buildings and the refurbishment of existing buildings and facilities. From 2011 to date approximately €5 million has been spent on capital projects in the Curragh Camp.

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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348. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will provide a detailed cost break-down and a flight itinerary, including cost per hour, for the Government jet, of all costs associated with a trip (details supplied) including a list of all who were part of the delegation; if other Departments are contributing to the costs of the trip; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29978/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The delegation, which recently visited L.É. Eithne in Valletta, Malta, consisted of Mr. Simon Coveney T.D., Minister for Defence, Ms Frances Fitzgerald T.D., Minister for Justice and Equality, Mr. Sean Sherlock T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Maurice Quinn, Secretary General, Department of Defence, Lieutenant General Conor O’Boyle, Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces and Ms. Marion Mannion, Special Adviser to Minister Fitzgerald.

The total duration of the flight on the Government Jet was 8 hours 45 minutes. The Department of Defence follows the normal practice in the aviation business of costing aircraft by reference to the cost per flying hour under each of two headings:

(a) The variable cost, which comprises costs incurred only when the aircraft is flown including maintenance, fuel and support services; and

(b) The total cost, which comprises the variable cost plus the fixed cost associated with having the aircraft. The latter comprises personnel costs anddepreciation.

The current average variable cost per hour for the Learjet 45 is €2,570.

The current average total cost per hour is €4,940.

Final costs in relation to all other aspects of this visit are not yet available but it is agreed that each Department would be responsible for their own costs.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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349. To ask the Minister for Defence the total cost of public advertising, statutory and non-statutory, funded by his Department in 2013 and in 2014; the corresponding figure for agencies under the control of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30022/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Details of expenditure on advertising by my Department and the Defence Forces in 2013 and 2014 are set out in the table below.

YearAmount
2013 €185,606
2014 €169,005

This expenditure includes the costs of newspaper/magazine advertisements on Defence Forces recruitment; public information notices such as property transactions; warning notices in respect of military training exercises; and advertising of military commemorative events such as the Centenary of the Foundation of the Irish Volunteers and the Easter Sunday 1916 Commemoration. The figures also include the costs of a seven day national and regional radio advertising campaign to promote the Government “Be Winter Ready” information campaigns in each year.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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350. To ask the Minister for Defence the cost in 2013 and in 2014 of printing reports by his Department and agencies under the control of his Department; the corresponding figure for annual reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30037/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department incurred no external printing costs for 2013 and 2014. The in-house facilities of the Defence Forces Printing Press were used to print all Departmental and Defence Forces Reports during this period.

The costs incurred by the Defence Forces Printing Press in printing reports in 2013 and 2014 are set out in the table below.

20132014
Annual Reports €335.75 €352.80
Other €468.72 €76.86

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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351. To ask the Minister for Defence the cost in 2013 and in 2014 of issuing hard copy payslips to staff or retired staff by his Department and agencies under the control of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30052/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The cost of issuing hard copy payslips to staff or retired staff by my Department and agencies under the control of my Departmentin 2013 and 2014 was €147,326 and €153,958 respectively.

Photo of Lucinda CreightonLucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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352. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will outline and itemise all expenditure undertaken by his Department, on private travel for his and for his private office; on legal fees; on consultancy fees; on hotel accommodation, during the 12-month period to 30 June 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30067/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Defence does not fund my private travel or the private travel of my staff. The hotel accommodation costs arising from my official engagements are set out below:

Minister CoveneyPrivate Office StaffReason
2014 €160.00

€739.05
€160.00

€739.05
EU Defence Ministers Formal Meeting in Brussels November 2014

Trip to Lebanon in December 2014
2015 €318.59 €318.59 United Nations Peacekeeping Summit, New York September 2014.

It has not been possible in the time available to compile all the necessary information in regard to Legal Fees and Consultancy Fees as requested by the Deputy. This information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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