Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

65. To ask the Taoiseach the total photography costs for his Department per annum since March 2011 inclusive of costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance in tabular form; the 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 his department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39477/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The total expenditure by my Department on photography from 9 March 2011 to 7 December 2016 is provided in the following table:

The increase in costs for 2016 over 2015 is due to a requirement to have an official record of the ceremonies to mark the centenary of Easter 1916 and other historic Commemoration events.

Photography costs in my Department have reduced significantly in recent years. The 2016 expenditure to date represents over 70% of a reduction when compared with expenditure of €83,398 in 2008. Increasingly my Department utilises its own staff to take photographs in-house, thereby reducing costs.

The use of local photographers on international trade missions is required to distribute images to the domestic media to accompany the coverage of domestic journalists who are travelling on behalf of their organisations. Utilising local agencies is cost efficient and costs are kept to a minimum.

In relation to the EU Presidency costs - as is standard for all Presidencies there is a host photographer to capture the images for the Presidency and to distribute them around the world.

The table below lists the occasions for which photographers were used and costs associated with each occasion: