Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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224. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 411 of 9 September 2021, the expenses claimed and paid to a person (details supplied) in relation to work done in securing the UN seat and any other project given that this information was requested but not provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44320/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Subsistence expenses were processed through the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in relation to three visits carried out by the then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Ms. Katherine Zappone, in her capacity as Special Envoy for the UN Security Council campaign. The Department of Foreign Affairs reimbursed the Department of Children and Youth Affairs for these costs.

The visits and subsistence costs that related to the then Minster's role as Special Envoy were as follows: 

1. UN General Assembly, New York, September 2019

Subsistence: €647.82

2. International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+25), Nairobi, November 2019: 

Subsistence: €288.36

3. Bilateral meetings, New York, March 2020: 

Subsistence: €564.23

I can confirm that subsistence was calculated in accordance with regulations for the civil service as set out in the relevant circulars issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The Department of Foreign Affairs paid for then-Minister Zappone’s accommodation and flights as follows:

1. UN General Assembly, New York, September 2019

Flights: €2216.69 (reimbursed to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs)

Accommodation: €2684.24 

2. International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+25), Nairobi, November 2019: 

Flights: €1186.94

Accommodation: €848.75

3. Bilateral meetings, New York, March 2020: 

Flights: €1146.46 (reimbursed to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs)

Unless otherwise indicated, the cost of flights and accommodation were borne directly by the Department of Foreign Affairs.