Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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109. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of Ministers of State attached to his Department; the responsibilities of each; if designated powers have been signed by him and assigned to the relevant Ministers of State; the date on which each designation was signed; the reason in circumstances in which no such designation has been made, this has not occurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40800/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There are two Ministers of State at my Department, Ciarán Cannon T.D. and Helen McEntee, T.D. Minister Cannon was appointed Minister of State with special responsibility for the Diaspora and International Development at my Department on 15 June 2017. Minister McEntee was appointed Minister of State with special responsibility for European Affairs at my Department on 20 June 2017.

The Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1977 provides for the delegation of statutory Ministerial powers and duties to Ministers of State. This may be done at the request of the Minister concerned, by Government Order. My statutory powers as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade relate to consular, passport and other technical matters and it is not the practice, nor is it considered necessary, to delegate these functions.