Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 December 2007
579 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of credit cards held by his Department; the cost of same for each year since 2000 to date in 2007; the persons who hold these cards and for whom they are used; the annual amounts purchased; the cumulative interest on same for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33579/07]
View answer585 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the cost of providing transport including their official car to Ministers of State in his Department and staff for each year from 1997 to date in 2007. [33669/07]
View answer586 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the cost of him using public transport for every year since 1997 to date in 2007; and the cost of providing similar services to junior Ministers and staff for the same period. [33684/07]
View answer600 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the estimate of the money saved to the Exchequer in 2007 by the use of the management information framework system; the way this saving was made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34301/07]
View answer601 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the management information framework system has been fully rolled out in his Department; the use being made of performance indicators, the costing framework and management reports provided by this system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34315/07]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 579, 585, 586, 600 and 601 together.
These questions deal with various aspects of my Department's administration and management of resources. My Department, which was established in June 2002, has provision for administrative expenses in 2008 of the order of €20.6 million — a 2% increase on the 2007 Estimate. There are two credit cards held in my Department — one each held by the Private Secretary to the Minister and the Private Secretary to the Minister of State. The relevant costs are shown in Table 1. The credit card is one of a number of systems of payment used by my Department, including electronic transfer and cheques. All credit card payments are subject to the same checks and verification as other payment systems. The credit card is used only where it is considered the most secure, efficient and appropriate payment method.
It may be noted that to avoid unnecessary reimbursements and to minimise paperwork, the credit card held by the Minister's Private Secretary is now used where the payment has to be made on the provision of the service. I am open to suggestions as to more effective ways of making such payments that would maintain the integrity of the system and cut down further on unnecessary bureaucracy.
Records indicate that payments made in respect of his official car for the Minister of State (including costs associated with the salary and expenses of the civilian drivers) from June 2007 to end-November 2007 amounted to €32,145. No costs of this nature were payable by my Department in the period from June 2002 to June 2007. Costs relating to public transport usage by Ministers of State are, however, included in Table 2. Records in my Department indicate that the amounts paid for public transport (comprising trains, buses, flights and ferries) are as shown in Table 2.
With regard to the Management Information Framework, the system has been fully rolled out in my Department and is an integral part of the finance function. It provides management information on expenditure and costs. It forms the basis of regular finance-related reports to the Management Advisory Committee and is also used in the preparation of the annual Appropriation Account and other external reports; the maintenance of the assets register; the execution of payments; and preparation of responses to many ad hoc queries and requests for reports.
The Management Information Framework requires higher levels of both financial and information & communications technology skills within the Department, as well as external assistance, when required, to support and develop it. However, it has also provided a significant saving of time and a streamlining of effort and it produces more information than would otherwise be available. There is no quantification of any specific saving to the Exchequer in 2007 but the system was introduced to provide overall systemic improvements rather than achieve a particular level of savings.
Finally, can I say that I welcome the interest shown in the management of resources by my Department. I believe that the information provided in this reply demonstrates a practical and consistent approach to good management of public funds. I feel, however, that the optimal opportunity for further consideration of management expenses and related matters is in the context of the estimates debate for the Vote for my Department. I am more than willing, as I have done in 2007, to further debate such issues in the context of the consideration of my Department's 2008 Estimate.
|
Year |
Purchases |
Charges/ Fees |
Interest |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
2002 |
1,461 |
19 |
17 |
|
2003 |
4,091 |
118 |
62 |
|
2004 |
5,245 |
158 |
127 |
|
2005 |
1,115 |
158 |
9 |
|
2006 |
6,918 |
78 |
120 |
|
2007 (to end-Nov) |
2,699 |
80 |
9 |
|
Year |
Minister |
Minister of State |
Staff |
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
2002 |
Nil |
Nil |
12,562 |
|
2003 |
21,088 |
5,576 |
73,702 |
|
2004 |
11,518 |
11,757 |
88,856 |
|
2005 |
17,660 |
Nil |
52,549 |
|
2006 |
13,595 |
9,712 |
67,513 |
|
2007 (to end-Nov) |
16,211 |
3,947 |
61,356 |
580 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the cost to his Department of photographers used by all Ministers in his Department on a yearly basis for each year since 1997 to date in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33594/07]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs was established in June 2002. Photographer costs since that time are as follows:
|
Year |
Cost |
|
€ |
|
|
2002 |
1,283.82 |
|
2003 |
5,117.53 |
|
2004 |
4995.24 |
|
2005 |
10,710.57 |
|
2006 |
6,208.85 |
|
2007 |
13,637.44 |
581 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the cost of make-up for him for each year since 1997 to date in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33609/07]
View answer582 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the cost of his Department’s entertainment allowance for each year since 1997 to date in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33624/07]
View answerIt is not practical, within the time available to provide the information sought. I am arranging for the material to be compiled as a priority and provided directly to the Deputy.
