There are currently four credit cards in use by officers of the Department and one by the Pensions Ombudsman who operates under the aegis of the Department and for whom the Department makes administrative payments. Details of the cards and the total expenditure on each card since 2009 are set out in the accompanying table:
Credit Card costs 2009 - 2013
|
Purpose of card
|
2009 (€)
|
2010 (€)
|
2011 (€)
|
2012 (€)
|
2013 to date (€)
|
1
|
Hire of rooms for Appeal hearings
|
61
|
21,960
|
92,855
|
124,883
|
12,639
|
2
|
Purchase of software
|
564
|
4,603
|
1,291
|
5,400
|
7,519
|
3
|
Ministerial expenditure
|
3,141
|
523
|
1,205
|
1,450
|
215
|
4
|
Purchase of training materials
|
929
|
563
|
942
|
5,050
|
31
|
5
|
Pensions Ombudsman expenditure
|
2,021
|
2,033
|
1,376
|
2,164
|
122
|
*6
|
Purchase of documentation and software. Booking of flights on internet.
|
443
|
303
|
341
|
40
|
0
|
**7
|
Official entertainment in relation to EU International section.
|
6,039
|
105
|
2,943
|
0
|
0
|
|
Totals:
|
13,198
|
30,090
|
100,953
|
138,987
|
20,526
|
*
This credit card was cancelled in 2012.
**
This credit card was cancelled in 2011.
The costs for each credit card includes annual fees and government stamp duty. Stamp duty is currently €30.00 per year on each card and the annual fee is €75.00 per card for American Express and €31.00 for Visa. The credit cards are managed so as to minimise fees and charges.