Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2011
191 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm the number of credit cards issued by him and to whom; the criteria for issuing such cards; the credit card company used; if a competitive process was used to select the company; if the facility has had to be withdrawn from any person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11553/11]
Amharc ar fhreagraTwo business credit cards are operated by staff in my Department. One card is operated by the Private Secretary in my own office and the second by the Private Secretary in the office of Minister of State Mr. Ciaran Cannon.
The granting of credit cards in my Department is allowed in very limited circumstances. The provision of such cards will only be considered for officers or post-holders whose work requires expenditure to support the business needs of the Department, in extremely time limited circumstances where the spending needs cannot be easily satisfied by the Department's normal billing process. Strict guidelines govern the use of such cards.
To obtain its current corporate credit cards my Department was required to have a business banking relationship to support the granting of the cards. The Department's two credit cards have been supplied by Bank of Ireland.
As officers of the Department have been re-assigned, credit cards have been surrendered by previous post holders and, where appropriate, new cards obtained for successors in those posts. Additionally, where a business need for a card was deemed to no longer exist, such cards were discontinued. There is no record of a business credit card having been withdrawn from any officer of my Department.
