Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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520. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the cost of his Department's stand at the National Ploughing Championships 2018; the number of staff deployed from his Department for the week; and the cost of same. [40348/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment - along with a number of other government departments - has a strong annual presence at the National Ploughing Championships.

2018 was the second year the Department had its own marquee at the event, and the exhibition space housed stands from a number of the Department’s divisions and agencies and initiatives being undertaken by the Department, including Inland Fisheries Ireland, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, the Environmental Protection Agency, ComReg, Eircodes, the National Broadband Plan, Geological Survey Ireland, Regional Waste Management Offices, Green Schools and Climate Ambassadors. The Regional Telecommunications Unit of Department of Rural and Community Development also had space in the marquee.

The Department’s presence at the Ploughing enables citizens to meet representatives from our various agencies and divisions and discuss key initiatives that impact on their lives and livelihoods, such as rural connectivity, soil and geological profiling of land, sustainability initiatives, energy efficiency grants, and initiatives to enhance digital literacy in communities.

The total cost of the Department’s marquee at the 2018 Ploughing Championships was €114,868 exclusive of VAT. This figure factored in design, build, maintenance and break-down/removal of the marquee itself as well as all built items within it, all stands, audiovisual equipment, backdrop design and printing, kitchen and toilet facilities, electrical set-up, AV and marquee staffing (including project management and construction) and maintenance in the lead-up to and throughout the event. Department agencies will contribute to this overall cost, and while this amount has not been fully finalised, the final overall cost to the Department is likely to be approximately €95,000.

There was, on average, 35 Department staff per day at the event to manage reception, logistics, support and management of all the Departmental stands at the event.

Figures are not yet available for the full cost of staffing for Ploughing Championships. Staff, where their presence was required, were paid as they would their normal working day and any overtime where necessary was paid in line with the agreed overtime rates.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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521. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the communications, press and public relations budget allocated to his Department for 2018; the way in which it is being spent; if it is behind or ahead of profile; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39380/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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My Department does not allocate a specific budget for communications, press and public relations. We have a dedicated Press Office who have spent €12,927 to date in 2018.

Other Divisions within my Department may spend some of their admin budget allocations on these categories and the details of such expenditure can be accessed on my Department's website. We publish the details of all expenditure on external services every six months.

The first six months of 2018 covering the period from January to June has been recently published and can be accessed at the following link:

www.dttas.ie/corporate/english/expenditure-external-services.