Departmental Banking

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 November 2013

Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Questions (453)

Ciaran Lynch

Question:

453. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the value of services provided to the public by his Department and entities reporting to his Department where a payment is accepted by debit or credit card; the percentage of additional charge that is applied to such transactions under the merchant agreement; the total value of the additional charge in respect of debit and credit cards in 2012; if any portion of the additional charge accrued to his Department [50133/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

My Department through Met Éireann charges the general public for certain weather forecasting services. The total value of these services for 2012, where the payment was by credit card, was €19,884.72. Commission of 2.5% is charged by the credit card company and the charge for 2012 was €497.12. However, this additional charge is not passed onto the public and is absorbed by Met Éireann. Payments of this nature to agencies or bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the agency or body concerned.