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Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 March 2013

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

Questions (138, 139, 140, 141, 142)

Robert Troy

Question:

138. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the costs of providing hardware and software to his home and the homes of Ministers of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12368/13]

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Robert Troy

Question:

139. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the costs of providing telephone in the homes of Ministers and Ministers of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12386/13]

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Robert Troy

Question:

140. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the cost of telephones and ICT provided to the constituency offices including monthly phone bills of Ministers and Ministers of State in his Department since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12405/13]

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Robert Troy

Question:

141. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if any additional costs other than telephones, ICT and monthly phone bills are being paid to constituency offices by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12423/13]

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Robert Troy

Question:

142. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of mobile phones in use by him, junior Ministers and politically appointed staff; the total costs of the mobile phones since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12441/13]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 to 142, inclusive, together.

No costs have been incurred by my Department in respect of the provision of ICT facilities at the homes of the Ministers of State. The Department provides me with a fax machine in my home for official business purposes. The cost of this service to date is €1,351, including installation.

My constituency office and that of the current Minister of State with responsibility for Trade and Development are each based in the Department. The standard range of Department ICT facilities are provided to each staff member in the constituency offices and include PC, telephone, print and fax services and appropriate software licences. The estimated annual average cost to the Department to provide ICT-related services is €750 per officer; the same such costs apply for Constituency Office staff. It is not possible to separate from the monthly telephone bills those costs specifically associated with the Constituency Offices. No other costs are associated with these offices other than normal office running costs such as utilities and furnishings.

The former Minister of State with responsibility for Trade and Development, Deputy Jan O’Sullivan, was refunded €1,534 in respect of telephone costs and €1,319 was recouped to the Houses of the Oireachtas under the agreement with Government Departments for constituency office ICT facilities.

There are six mobile phones currently in use by me, the Ministers of State and politically appointed staff. The total cost of mobile telephony since March 2011 is €16,728 and includes purchase of mobile phone devices.

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