Ministerial Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 May 2013

Thursday, 9 May 2013

Questions (132)

John McGuinness

Question:

132. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount of travel and subsistence both foreign and domestic claimed by each junior Minister and Secretary General in his Department for the period 2007 to date in 2013; the number of staff appointed by each Minister and junior Minister in his Department or constituency office and their relevant cost including travel and subsistence in each case for the period 2007 to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22030/13]

Written answers

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Jimmy Deenihan)

As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht was established on 2 June 2011. The amount of travel and subsistence, both foreign and domestic, paid to the Minister of State and Secretary General in my Department from that date was as follows:

-	June – Dec 2011	2012	2013
Minister of State	14,119	26,087	1,551
Secretary General	3,933	4,690	975

There are 10 posts in my Department (6 in my office and 4 in the office of the Minister of State) to which appointments have been made in line with Government Guidelines on Ministerial Appointments. The salary costs of these staff in the period from June 2011 to date were €1,068,106 while travel and subsistence costs for the same period were €75,886. All travel and subsistence payments were made in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidance on such matters.