Written answers

Thursday, 28 November 2019

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Departmental Expenditure

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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68. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent by his Department and each agency under the aegis of his Department on the National Ploughing Championships in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019, by online advertising, offline advertising, promotional material, wages, photography, stand rental and other costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49541/19]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department participated in the National Ploughing Championships in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 in order to increase public understanding of the public services provided by the Department and how the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Ireland’s diplomatic missions abroad engage with Ireland’s international partners and wider audiences to advance the interests of Ireland and Irish citizens.

In the past four years, my Department’s presence at the National Ploughing Championships has highlighted policy areas, public services and supports offered by the Department including innovation in the delivery of Passport services; Consular Assistance and Consular Services; Ireland’s membership of the European Union and ongoing Brexit-preparedness work; Ireland’s development assistance programme, Irish Aid; support for the diaspora; a number of Ireland’s bilateral relationships; Ireland’s membership of the United Nations; implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals; and “Global Ireland – Ireland’s Global Footprint to 2025”, the Government’s initiative to double the scope and impact of Ireland’s global footprint in the period to 2025.

Details of the expenditure of the Department’s presence at the National Ploughing Championships in each of the years 2016 to 2019 are outlined as follows.

My Department has not engaged in paid online advertising in relation to the National Ploughing Championships.

In 2016, 2017, and 2018 an advertisement was placed in National Ploughing Championships Official Catalogue. The cost of these advertisements were: €2,460 in 2016, €1,230 in 2017, and €1,476 in 2018. No advertisements were placed in 2019.

No additional wage costs were incurred due to my Department’s participation at the National Ploughing Championships.

Promotional materials were not purchased specifically for this event.

Photography costs were €738 in 2018 and the same in 2019. There were no photography costs in 2016 or 2017.  

The stand costs include plot and marquee rental, marquee construction, exterior and interior signage and audience activation design and provision, power supply, and health and safety facilities. The stand costs totalled to: €47,416.09 in 2019, €49,284.28 in 2018, €46,538.91 in 2017, and €35,555.91 in 2016.

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