Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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635. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will publish the airline costs for her Department for 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2691/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The net cost of airline flights for my Department for 2018 amounted to €51,392.11. As many of the flights involved relate to meetings where the flight costs are refundable by the organisers, this net figure includes overall flight costs of €80,021.61 incurred during 2018, reduced by €28,629.50 in respect of refunds relating to those costs.

Most of the air travel undertaken by my Department relates to meeting Ireland’s obligations arising from our membership of the EU and other international organisations, such as the United Nations, Council of Europe, International Social Security Association, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Labour Organisation, etc.

In line with the general principles governing all official travel abroad, as set out in Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s circulars and guidelines, official travel abroad undertaken by my Department is kept to an absolute minimum and is undertaken as economically as possible, using the shortest practical routes and the most cost-effective method of transport.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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636. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will publish the cost of newspapers in her Department in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2708/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Expenditure on newspapers purchased by my Department in 2018 amounted to €9,993.53. These costs are provisional and subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The Department monitors such expenditure closely at all times and keeps these costs to a minimum.

The total expenditure cited above includes the purchase and delivery of print copies of newspapers as well as online subscriptions where required, as online content is only available with a subscription in some cases.