Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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47. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent by his Department on food and alcohol at receptions in Iveagh House between 2014 and 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41017/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Official hospitality events form part of the overall strategy by which the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade seeks to engage with Ireland’s international partners and thereby advance Ireland’s economic, political, foreign policy and other key national interests, promote Irish culture and increase Ireland’s international influence generally.

Such official hospitality events are a standard feature of international diplomatic practice and take place in a range of formats that vary in size and scope. Events hosted by the Department at Iveagh House include receptions but also extend to business breakfasts, working lunches and official dinners for visiting high-level foreign dignitaries and/or senior officials, as well as conferences, seminars and networking opportunities. They seek to showcase the quality and variety of Irish produce wherever possible but are always delivered with value for the Irish taxpayer strongly in mind.

In this context, a table outlining overall expenditure by the Department on catering and alcohol-related items for official hospitality purposes over the time period to which the Deputy refers is set out below. The Department’s financial management system does not separately record the cost of hosting receptions and alcohol-related costs refer to restocking of house wines. It should be noted that certain catering expenditure amounts cover both food and alcohol items for which an additional detailed breakdown has not been possible to obtain.