Departmental Staff Expenses

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2014

Tuesday, 17 June 2014

Questions (251)

Niall Collins

Question:

251. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide, in tabular form, the total amount spent per annum from 2011 to 2013, inclusive, and to date in 2014 on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments; if his Department has been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits-in-kind; if these processes have been revised in view of concerns by the Revenue Commissioners over practices in other State bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25813/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The expenditure details sought by the Deputy are set out in the following table. Travel and subsistence payments paid to Department staff are subject to regular internal and external audit. Issues arising regarding payments of this type, including matters such as those recently highlighted by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, would be taken into account by my Department in reviewing its travel and subsistence guidelines for staff and management.

Year	Total Domestic & Foreign Subsistence €	Total Taxis (inclusive of Domestic & Foreign related taxi expenditure) €	Total €
2014 (to date)	289,705.42	6,656.80	296,362.22
2013	653,435.17	20,748.22	674,183.39
2012	696,598.27	26,179.14	722,777.41
2011	656,126.95	39,615.64	695,742.59

Note: Expenditure figures shown above are in respect of all staff in the Department of Education and Skills including field officers in the Inspectorate and the National Educational Psychologist Service (NEPS). In addition, the expenditure figures are in respect of payments made in the years as shown, which may also include payments relating to a previous year.