Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 January 2022
253. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of civilian and Garda Ministerial drivers in his current corps of drivers; the breakdown of the civilian versus Garda drivers; and the total costs including salaries, maintenance, fuel and other costs incurred by the driver corps in 2020 and 2021. [3119/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, following a recent security review by Garda Commissioner Harris, it has been agreed to provide 2 Garda drivers to me. As I currently have 1 civilian driver assigned to me, interim arrangements are in place while the full plans are being mapped out.
The aggregate total of salary and employer’s PRSI costs for civilian drivers in my department overall, including the Ministers of the State and the previous Minister and the previous Ministers of State, were €138,216 in 2020 and €111,898 in 2021. The Deputy will be aware that there was a change of government in 2020. There were no costs in relation to Garda drivers in 2020 or 2021.
Ministers may claim mileage rates in line with relevant circulars. The rates include provision for maintenance, depreciation and fuel. The aggregate total claimed by Ministers and Ministers of State was €15,327 in mileage in 2020 and €10,974 in mileage in 2021.
Subsistence claimed by civilian drivers in 2020 was €7,001 and €18,271 in 2021.
