Departmental Banking

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 October 2012

Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Ceisteanna (492)

Michael McGrath

Ceist:

492. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide, in tabular form if possible, a list of the bank accounts used by his Department and separately any agencies within the remit of his Department; the purpose of each bank account and the financial institution the bank account is with; the total amount of any interest charged or bank fees incurred by his Department and separately by each agency in 2011 and anticipated figure for 2012; the percentage of payments issued by his Department and each agency which are issued electronically and if the Department agency has any special arrangement in place on the issue of bank charges and fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44846/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Defence

A list of Bank accounts, along with their purpose, operated by my Department and agencies within the remit of my Department, excluding accounts held locally by units of the Reserve Defence Force, is set out in the table below:

Bank Name and Address	Purpose of Bank Account
Allied Irish Bank, 1 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2	Office of the Ombudsman
Allied Irish Bank, 219 Crumlin Road, Dublin 12	Local Purchases - Ordnance Base W/Shops, Logs Base DFTC, Curragh Camp
Allied Irish Bank, 4 West Beach, Cobh, Co Cork	Local Purchases - Technical Stores Naval Base
Allied Irish Bank, Old Youghal Road, Mayfield, Cork	Local Purchases - Provisions & Repair/Maintenance, Naval Service Reserve Southern Group
Allied Irish Bank, South Main St., Naas, Co Kildare	Local Purchases – Communications and Information Services Base Workshops Connolly Bks., Curragh
Bank of Ireland, 112 Mobhi Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9	Nordic Battle Group (Local Purchase)
Bank of Ireland, 175 Lr. Rathmines Rd., Dublin 6	Brigade Cashier Eastern Brigade
Bank of Ireland, Arran Quay, Dublin 7	Local Purchases - School of Catering
Bank of Ireland, Arran Quay, Smithfield, Dublin 7	Equitation School - Expenses at Horse shows
Bank of Ireland, Arran Quay, Smithfield, Dublin 7	Equitation School - Prizemoney account
Bank of Ireland, Carrigaline, Co Cork	Payment of Imprests to Naval Diving School
Bank of Ireland, Industrial Estate, Mervue, Galway	Electronic transfer account - Officers of the PDF
Bank of Ireland, Industrial Estate, Mervue, Galway	Electronic transfer account - Civil Servants
Bank of Ireland, Industrial Estate, Mervue, Galway	Electronic transfer account - Other Ranks
Bank of Ireland, Industrial Estate, Mervue, Galway	Electronic transfer account - Civilian Employees
Bank of Ireland, Industrial Estate, Mervue, Galway	Electronic transfer account – Pensions
Bank of Ireland, Industrial Estate, Mervue, Galway	Electronic transfer account – Reservists
Bank of Ireland, Industrial Estate, Mervue, Galway	Electronic transfer account for the payment of the Departments Goods and Services
Bank of Ireland, Industrial Estate, Mervue, Galway	Electronic transfer account for the payment of Travel & Subsistence Expenses
Bank of Ireland, Newbridge, Co Kildare	Brigade Cashier DFTC
Bank of Ireland, Pearse St., Athlone, Co Westmeath	Brigade Cashier Western Brigade
Bank of Ireland, Rathcoole, Dublin 22	Payment of Subsistence to MATS
Bank of Ireland, Rathcoole, Dublin 22	G IV Contingency Fund
Bank of Ireland,32 South Mall, Cork	Brigade Cashier Southern Brigade
Permanent tsb, Rathmines, Dublin 6	Local Purchase - Provisions & Repair/Maintenance, Naval Service Reserve Eastern Group
Permanent tsb, Unit 19, Liffey Valley SC, Quarryvale, Dublin 22	Local Purchases - Main Technical Stores, Baldonnel
Afghanistan International Bank (AIB), Kabul, Afghanistan	Overseas Local Purchases - Irish Contingent NSE, ISAF
Deutsche Bank AG F/M, Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina	Overseas Local Purchases - Irish Contingent NSE, EUFOR
FransaBank Sal, Naqoura, Lebanon	Overseas Local Purchases - Irish Contingent NSE, UNIFIL Lebanon
Raiffeisen Bank Republic of Kosovo	Overseas Local Purchases - Irish Contingent NSE, KFOR

The amount of banking charges paid by my Department in 2011, along with an estimate for 2012, on bank accounts in Ireland and in overseas locations are set out in the table below:

Year	Overseas Bank Accounts	Irish Bank Accounts	Total Bank Charges
2011	€2,089	€588	€2,677
2012 (Estimated)	€2,000	€500	€2,500

Bank accounts are operated in a number of overseas locations to fund local expenditure on EU and UN missions and these attract the bulk of the total banking charges. The costs exclude bank charges in respect of the eight local purchase accounts. This information is held locally and is consequently not readily available.

There was €13 incurred in bank charges by Coiste an Asgard in 2011. This account has since been closed. Bank charges of €17 were incurred by the Office of the Ombudsman of the Defence Forces and a similar amount is estimated for 2012.

The Department operates eight bank accounts to fund our payments to suppliers, employees and pensioners. The agreement with the bank provides that transaction charges are not levied on the understanding that free credit balances will be held in the accounts for a minimum of 1 day.

Some 99% of payments to employees and 88% of payments to pensioners made by my Department are made electronically. All payments to suppliers made by my Department and agencies under my remit are made electronically, as are all employee expenses payments.