753. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline and itemise all expenditure undertaken by his Department on private travel for him and-or his private office, on legal fees, on consultancy fees and on hotel accommodation during the 12-month period to 30 June 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30069/15]

My Department does not pay expenses in respect of private travel. Details of my travel expenses for official purposes are available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie/en/corporateexpenditure/ministerialexpenses/FileDownLoad,41065,en.pdf.

Legal fees totalling €4,907 were paid by my Department in the twelve month period to 30 June 2015, as set out in the following table:

The table does not include legal fees associated with the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments. Payments of this nature by agencies or bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the agencies/bodies concerned.

The expenditure by my Department on consultancies during the period in question is set out in the following table:

The expenditure by my Department on hotel accommodation for my predecessor and myself, along with staff in the Minister’s Private Office in the twelve month period to 30 June 2015 was as follows –

With regard to the expenditure incurred in respect of my predecessor, only €450.44 related to costs incurred from 1 July 2014. Of the remaining €4,048.37 costs incurred by my predecessor, €2,740.21 related to costs met by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade during the period October 2013 to March 2014 that were not recouped until November 2014.