Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016

Friday, 16 September 2016

Questions (1664, 1665, 1666)

Dara Calleary

Question:

1664. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment 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. [24738/16]

Dara Calleary

Question:

1665. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment 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. [24753/16]

Dara Calleary

Question:

1666. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment 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 expense; 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. [24768/16]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1664 to 1666, inclusive, together.

My Department’s policy is that corporate credit cards can only be issued to the Minister, the Minister of State and their respective Private Secretaries, where due to the nature and frequency of expenditure associated with official duties, particularly when abroad on official duties, the use of a credit card is warranted.  Procedures in place in my Department ensure that every credit card bill is checked, certified and signed off for payment at Principal Officer Level. Expenditure on credit cards in 2014 and 2015 was €11,676.70 and €20,816.35 plus interest payments of €10.37 and €26.31 respectively.

  At present there are two official credit card holders on my Department's account - myself and my Private Secretary.

 While the information sought by the Deputy regarding the agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each Agency, I will request the relevant bodies to forward the information to my Department and a composite response will issue once available.