Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 January 2005
114 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of credit cards issued for departmental use to Ministers, Ministers of State or others; the person or persons authorised to use such cards; the circumstances in which use is permissible; the number of occasions on which they have been used in the life of the Government; the purpose of such use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2273/05]
View answerThe Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism has had arrangements in place for many years for the provision of credit and charge cards to Ministers and departmental officials who might incur charges of an official nature. Some eight such cards are currently held. Individual cardholders are personally liable for all charges incurred on the cards. If expenditure is incurred for official purposes, the costs may be claimed by the cardholder in accordance with the Department of Finance's rules on travel, subsistence and entertainment. The Department covers the annual cost of the card and the Government levy. As the charges incurred on all cards are the specific responsibility of the cardholder and not the Department, records are not available on the overall usage of the cards.
