Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 25 Apr 1995

Vol. 451 No. 8

Written Answers. - Post and Telecommunications Costs.

Batt O'Keeffe

Ceist:

251 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the cost of post and telephone communications within his Department over the last three years; and if the introduction of the GTN system has reduced costs. [7621/95]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

The cost of post and telephone communications within my Department over the last three years was as follows:

Expenditure

	Post	Telephones
	£	£
1992	1,012,000	1,743,000
1993	1,727,000	1,654,000
1994	2,297,000	2,061,000

The increase in telecommunications costs in 1994 was due to the capital costs of new telephone systems for Agriculture House and Castlebar, installation of fax lines at a number of meat factories and once-off costs due to computerisation of local offices. Increased activity under the headage schemes accounted for the increase in the postal expenditure in 1993 and 1994.

Where it has been installed the GTN system has reduced the unit cost of local and inland phone calls.