Vol. 495 No. 5
119 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Finance the total expenditure by his Department on the three major airlines in 1997; when decisions will be taken in relation to the tendering arrangements for air travel services for civil servants and employees of public state enterprises; if his attention has been drawn to a claim by one airline that the Government can save up to £2 million per annum on one route within Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20652/98]
In 1997 my Department's expenditure on air travel with Aer Lingus was £248,980. Bookings with other carriers were made through a travel agency. Some £1,335 related to British Midland services and £125 to Ryanair. It should be noted, particularly in respect of Aer Lingus, that not all of the money paid to particular carriers may have related to journeys undertaken by that carrier. It is often the case that journeys to destinations not ultimately served by a carrier operating out of Ireland would commence with the domestic serving carrier and be completed by another international carrier. In such cases the full journey would often be booked through the domestic serving carrier and the fare paid to that carrier, whose responsibility it is to reimburse the other carrier(s) involved. It is not possible, therefore, to extrapolate from the figures available to us that element of expenditure which though paid to one of the carriers referred to above may relate in part to the services of other international carriers.
The tender arrangements for air transport, travel agency, tour operator and tourist assistance services relates to official travel by Government Departments and Offices. The five group tender boards representing the 28 Departments and offices engaged in the tender process have made their selections and the various tenderers have been informed accordingly.
I am aware of a claim by one airline that they can save up to £2 million per annum on one route within Europe. In relation to air travel generally, all Departments/offices have been informed, in a travel policy statement issued by my Department, that they must ensure that, consistent with the requirements of Departments/offices, the best value for money is obtained and they must be prepared to use the services of all airlines operating out of Ireland.
In addition, all heads of Departments/offices have recently been informed, by my Department, that the operation of these arrangements will be examined annually by external auditors whose reports will be made available to the Comptroller and Auditor General. The purpose of these audits is to ensure that the obligations of both the successful tenderers and the Department/offices themselves in regard to the use of all carriers and achieving value for money, as well as the other requirements of the travel policy statement, are being met effectively.
