Departmental Staff Expenses

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2014

Tuesday, 17 June 2014

Ceisteanna (583)

Niall Collins

Ceist:

583. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide, in tabular form, the total amount spent per annum from 2011 to 2013, inclusive, and to date in 2014 on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments; if her Department has been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits-in-kind; if these processes have been revised in view of concerns by the Revenue Commissioners over practices in other State bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25819/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

I wish to advise the Deputy that in respect of payments of this nature, my Department is tax compliant. Taxis are used by staff members of my Department in the necessary course of their duties, where it is deemed economic and feasible to do so. Subsistence allowances are payable only in respect of necessary absences from the Department. Details of the amounts paid in the period from 1st January 2011 to 31st May 2014 are as set out in the following table.

Staff costs	Jan-Dec 2011	Jan-Dec 2012	Jan-Dec 2013	Jan-May 2014
Subsistence	€410,540	€347,409	€423,894	€69,705
Taxi Costs	€46,483	€30,189	€34,514	€11,954