Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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205. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total photography costs per annum for her Department since coming to office inclusive of costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance in tabular form; the list of occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; if there is a policy regarding the booking of photographers within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20370/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Details of annual photography costs incurred by my Department since my appointment in July 2014 are set out in the following table. The total costs involved were €1,168 for that period in 2014, €15,489 for 2015 and €9,473 to date in 2016.

The hiring of photographers for Ministerial or Departmental events is dependent on a number of factors, including the nature of the engagement, the expected level of media interest and the national/regional scope of the subject. At all times, value for money is a critical consideration in the context of the booking of photographers.