Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016

Friday, 16 September 2016

Questions (1867)

Dara Calleary

Question:

1867. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of credit cards issued to Ministers and officials working in her Department; the amount spent on credit cards by her 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [24745/16]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Credit cards are issued to three business units in my Department to facilitate on-line purchases via electronic transactions. The cards are issued in the name of three senior officers within the following business areas: (i) Information Technology and Communications Unit (ii) Business Services Unit and (iii) Finance Unit.

The following table details the total amount expended by officials working in my Department by credit card in 2014 and 2015:

Year	On-line Purchases	Bank Charges	Interest	Stamp Duty	Total
2014	8,329.38	114.46	17.33	90.00	€8,551.17
2015	2,418.14	93.00	nil	90.00	€2,601.14

All purchases made by credit card must be approved at Assistant Secretary level. Officials in my Department who are required to make a transaction using a credit card, must complete an approval form titled ‘Application for use of Departments Credit Card’ to be given to the card-holder who will undertake the transaction. The form must be appropriately endorsed with the signature of the Assistant Secretary concerned.

Purchases can only be made on completion of the proper approval as outlined and, wherever it might apply, such purchases must be compliant with all relevant procurement guidelines and procedures together with any other Departmental or local procurement rules.

On receipt of the goods/service, a Payment Authorisation Form (PAF) is completed and forwarded to my Department’s Finance Unit for payment. This form is completed and the payment approved by an officer at an appropriate grade with reference to the Department’s payment authorisation limits.

The controls in place and monitoring of expenditure on personally held credit cards in each agency of my Department are a function for the agency concerned.

Credit card statements in respect of the three cards held by my Department are issued each month by the service provider to my Department’s Finance Officer. There is a continuous review of procedures and monitoring of expenditure in relation to the three credit cards held by my Department.