From June 2002 to date, the Department of Foreign Affairs issued 21 official credit cards. A list of office holders issued with these official credit cards and the number of occasions on which the cards were used is set out in annex A.
The Department issues official credit cards to Ministers, Ministers of State and a limited number of officers who, because of the nature of their work, need to make official payments on credit. Credit cards are used to make flight and hotel bookings, for representational purposes and for making sundry payments, at short notice, where cash may not be acceptable or where the cost involved would otherwise be too great to be met from an officer's own resources.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has two finance units: one for Vote 28 — Foreign Affairs — and one for Vote 29 — Overseas Development Assistance. A credit card has been issued to a higher executive officer in the Vote 28 finance unit and one credit card each to the accountant and a HEO in the Vote 29 finance unit. Finance unit credit cards are used mainly to book flights on the Internet and, occasionally, to purchase publications not available in Ireland.
As the Deputy will be aware, credit cards are the preferred method of payment for many hotels, restaurants and other businesses in the USA. The embassy in Washington uses two credit cards to cover payments which involve significant costs.
A card was issued to an officer in the embassy in Buenos Aires from March to August 2004 to cover payments for hotel costs, other official entertainment and transport costs for the President's visit to South America in 2004.