As the Deputy will be aware, the Government introduced a number of changes for the provision of Office Holder transport during 2011. One of the consequences of that decision was that the transport arrangements in place for Ministers of State became applicable to Government Ministers, subject to very limited exceptions on security grounds. In addition, it was decided that former Presidents and Taoisigh would only be supplied with official transport for important State occasions. The revised transport arrangements came into operation for Government Ministers on 1 May 2011 and for former Office Holders on 16th June 2011.
Office Holder cars are currently placed at the disposal of the President, An Taoiseach, An Tánaiste, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, the Chief Justice and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote. In that context, I am informed by the Garda authorities that records in relation to the cost of providing Office Holder transport have not been maintained in a manner which would allow for the identification of costs associated with individual Office Holders. However, the Garda authorities have indicated that a breakdown of expenditure on the provision of Office Holder transport in 2012 is as outlined in the following table:
Category
|
Cost
|
Salaries & Overtime
|
€2,042,000
|
Travel & Subsistence
|
€110,000
|
Other
|
€49,000
|
Total
|
€2,201,000
|
The Garda authorities do not have details of Ministerial transport costs which are not charged to the Garda Vote.