Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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247. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will publish the airline costs for his Department for 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2696/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Justice and Equality uses the central government air travel contract for commercial air travel. This contract was awarded to Club Travel, following a public procurement exercise carried out by the Office of Government Procurement, and came into effect on 1 August 2017. Costs are kept to a minimum through seeking the most competitive rate available at the time of request and by booking tickets as far in advance as possible.

In 2018, the Department spent  €1,257,863 on airline costs.

This included €906,504 by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, the vast majority of which related to air travel for those subject to deportation or removal orders and transfers under the Dublin III Regulation and for accompanying Garda escorts. A further €36,255 was incurred by the Reception and Integration Agency, who have a role in assisting with the return of destitute citizens of certain EU States.

The remaining €315,104 was incurred in respect of employee business-related travel. 

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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248. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will publish the cost of newspapers in his Department in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2713/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The total spend on newspapers by my Department in 2018 was €53,067. A sustained effort has been made to reduce the spend on newspapers over recent years, this has brought the spend down to the current figure from a total of €80,818 in 2010.