Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2010

Wednesday, 29 September 2010

Questions (1511)

Brian Hayes

Question:

1603 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount his Department spent in each of the last three years and in the first six months of this year on mobile phone bills; the number of staff within the Department who have mobile phones paid by the Department; the mobile phone operator that has the contract for supplying this service; the tender, if any, that applies to the service being provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33633/10]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Eamon Ryan)

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to spend on mobile communications from 2007 to 2010 is set out below. This includes mobile phones, Blackberrys and modems.

Year	Total spend
	€
2007	138,065.46
2008	79,466.94
2009	64,423.46
Jan – June 2010	32,239.45

There are 108 staff within the Department with an official issue mobile device. The contract for the provision of mobile voice and data communications for the Department has been held by Vodafone since 2008. A new tender competition has recently been held and my Department expects to announce the results of that competition shortly.