Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016

Friday, 16 September 2016

Questions (1106, 1107, 1108)

Dara Calleary

Question:

1106. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the number of credit cards issued to Ministers and officials working in his Department; the amount spent on credit cards by his Department in 2014 and in 2015; the amount of bank interest paid on credit cards in 2014 and 2015; the controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on these cards; the controls in place in each agency to monitor expenditure on personally held credit card bills that are subsequently used to recoup work-related expenses; if these controls are being reviewed in view of recent events in agencies funded by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24744/16]

Dara Calleary

Question:

1107. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the number of credit cards issued to staff working in each State agency funded by his Department, in tabular form; the number of cards per funded agency; the amount spent by credit card in 2014 and 2015 by each agency; the amount of bank interest paid on credit cards in 2014 and 2015; the controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on these cards; the controls in place in each agency to monitor expenditure on personally held credit card bills that are subsequently used to recoup work-related expenses; if these controls are being reviewed in view of recent events in agencies funded by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24759/16]

Dara Calleary

Question:

1108. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the number of credit cards issued to staff working in any third party agency funded by his Department, in tabular form; the number of cards per funded agency; the amount spent by credit card in 2014 and 2015 by each agency; the controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on these cards; the controls in place in each agency to monitor expenditure on credit card bills that are subsequently used to recoup work-related expenses; if these controls are being reviewed in view of recent events in agencies funded by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24774/16]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1106 to 1108, inclusive, together.

There are two corporate credit cards for official business purposes currently in use in my Department. The cards are held by my Private Secretary and a nominated officer in my Department's Finance Unit. These cards are used for the purchase of a variety of goods and services where payment by credit card is required. The use of credit cards in making payments is subject to the same authorisation and control procedures as other forms of payment. The amounts paid by the Department in respect of credit card charges for 2014 and 2015 were €16,182 and €16,248 respectively and included €97 paid in 2015 for interest on purchases.

State agencies are established under statute, are subject to stringent fiscal controls, and are subject to inspection by the Comptroller and Auditor General. In the letter of determination issued to agencies advising them of their annual allocation, my Department advises each agency of the requirements of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Code of Practice for Governance of State Bodies, Public Spending Code(Circular 13/2013), and Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds (Circular 13/2014). All State agencies under the aegis of my Department must comply with these requirements and with financial circulars issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform from time to time.

The detailed credit card information requested by the Deputy regarding State agencies is not routinely collected by my Department. However, each agency reports to my Department on compliance with the Code of Practice for Governance of State Bodies every year and this includes confirming that the agency has a properly constituted internal audit function or has engaged appropriate external expertise for this purpose, in order to monitor overall activities within the agency. It also confirms that it has complied with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's remuneration policy and with circulars regarding travel and subsistence policy.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has issued a revised Code of Practice which came into effect on 1 September, 2016 and which strengthens current oversight requirements by Government Departments. My Department is reviewing its role in light of the revised Code and will take appropriate action as required to strengthen and enhance oversight arrangements for its agencies.

Question No. 1109 answered with Question No. 989.