Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2008
278 Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Transport the amount of money spent on hotel accommodation by his Department and each State agency under the aegis of his Department for each of the years 2004 to date in 2008; if he will provide the information available in tabular readable form. [46687/08]
Amharc ar fhreagra279 Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Transport the procurement arrangements in place in his Department and each State agency under the aegis of his Department for the sourcing of hotel accommodation for him, for his Departmental staff and staff at each State agency, when overnight accommodation is necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46702/08]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 279 together.
The costs of accommodation and other expenses including meals for Departmental staff who are travelling at home, or abroad, are met from within the rates for subsistence expenses which are authorized from time to time by the Minister for Finance. As such a specific figure is not available for accommodation costs.
In relation to procuring accommodation for domestic travel Departmental staff source accommodation themselves subject to accommodation falling within the rates set by the Minister for Finance. In relation to foreign travel Departmental staff can use the services of Club Travel who hold the contract for providing air travel and other services to the Department to book accommodation. The rates claimable for foreign travel must comply with those set by the Minister for Finance.
The procurement and expenditure activities of the agencies operating under the aegis of my Department are a day-to-day operational matter for the agencies concerned, subject to compliance with the Code of Practice for the Corporate Governance of State Bodies and relevant Department of Finance guidelines in this regard. Accordingly, my Department does not maintain records of such expenditure by the relevant State agencies.
