Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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137. To ask the Taoiseach the number of staff in his Department working on the visit of Pope Francis. [28756/18]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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138. To ask the Taoiseach the overall cost to his Department for the visit of Pope Francis. [28757/18]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together.

Staff from the Protocol Division in my Department are involved with a number of elements of the forthcoming visit by Pope Francis to Ireland. The Division includes the Head of Protocol (Principal Officer), 2 Assistant Principal Officers and 5 Protocol Officers (Executive grade, 2 part-time). In addition two members of staff from Government Information Services are involved in the media elements of the Visit. These staff work closely with the Protocol and Press staff at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Event Management Unit at the Office of Public Works.

There will be a minimal cost to my Department for the event which Pope Francis will attend in Dublin Castle on Saturday 25 August. The majority of costs for the visit will be borne by the Office of Public Works.