Written Answers. - Departmental Uniforms.
Ivor Callely
Ceist:
27
Mr. Callely
asked the
Minister for Finance
the cost of uniforms issued by his Department or authorities under the aegis of his Department for each of the years from 1994 to 1996: if he will give a breakdown of such costs; the level, volume and value of stock in store; if he will give details of the quality of materials used: the feedback, if any, there has been on the comfort and benefit to the users of the uniforms; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11103/97]
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the cost of uniforms issued by my Department and the bodies under the aegis of my Department for each of the years 1994, 1995 and 1996 is shown in the table below.
|
Depatment/Office
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
|
Department of Finance
|
4,089
|
3,631
|
4,421
|
|
Office of the Revenue Commissioners
|
126,716
|
11,664
|
54,621
|
|
Office of Public Works
|
1,048
|
1,275
|
2,471
|
|
Office of the Ombudsman
|
229
|
678
|
489
|
|
Civil Service Commission
|
151
|
297
|
227
|
|
State Laboratory
|
314
|
3,149
|
1,719
|
|
Valuation Office
|
1,082
|
282
|
3,937
|
All uniforms are supplied to Government Departments-Offices through the Government Supplies Agency (GSA), which is part of the Office of Public Works. Apart from the GSA the only other one of those Departments-Offices referred to in the above table to hold separate stocks is the office of the Revenue Commissioners.The following table shows the value of stocks held bv the GSA and the office of the Revenue Commissioners at 31 December in each of the years 1994, 1995 and 1996.
|
Office
|
31 Dec. 1994
|
31 Dec. 1995
|
31 Dec 1996
|
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
|
Government Supplies Agency*
|
45,123
|
149.832
|
20,765
|
|
Office of the Revenue Commissioners
|
139,856
|
101,000
|
53,881
|
* Because of the difficulty in providing details of all types of uniforms provided by the GSA the stock levels shown for the GSA in the above table relate only to service officers' uniforms.
The level of stocks held depends on a number of issues including the date of delivery and date of issue to officers. The level of stocks held can vary from a full stock, following delivery, to a basic maintenance stock, to meet ongoing requirements following the annual issue of uniforms, These ongoing requirements arise for a number of reasons such as new appointments and the replacement of damaged uniforms.
Because of the range of items of clothing which are supplied as part of various uniforms, there is a wide range of materials used. Among the items of clothing supplied are shirts, pullovers, tunics, ties. trousers, skirts and anoraks etc.
While I am generally satisfied that the uniforms provided by my Department and the bodies under the aegis of my Department arc adequate for the purposes for which they are provided, my Department is shortly expected to enter into discussions with the Federated Union of Government Employees and the Government Supplies Agency regarding the possible redesign of uniforms provided to service officers.
