Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016

Friday, 16 September 2016

Ceisteanna (40)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

40. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of credit cards issued to staff working in each State agency funded by her Department, in tabular form; the number of cards per funded agency; the amount spent by credit card in 2014 and 2015 by each agency; the amount of bank interest paid on credit cards in 2014 and 2015; the controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on these cards; the controls in place in each agency to monitor expenditure on personally held credit card bills that are subsequently used to recoup work related expenses; if these controls are being reviewed in view of recent events in agencies funded by the HSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24761/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality

I wish to advise the Deputy that over the period in question, 2 credit cards were held by officials in the National Disability Authority, an Agency funded by my Department's Vote. Details of the total expenditure charged to these cards are as set out in the following table. No bank interest was incurred in these periods.

Agency	Number of Credit Cards	2014	2015
National Disability Authority	2	€14,572.74	€19,923.4

All applications for credit cards must be accompanied by a business case and submitted to the Assistant Secretary with responsibility for Finance, who, if in agreement, in turn submits it for approval to the Secretary General. If approved, the card is issued on the basis that it will be used exclusively for official purposes. All bills are processed for payment on a monthly basis and individual transactions are scrutinised by the Department's Financial Management Unit to ensure they are appropriately charged to the Department's Vote. All credit card expenditure must be accompanied by receipts and when submitted in support of an expense claim must be approved by a line manager who is senior to the applicant. The control process is kept under review but my Department is satisfied that value for money is the key priority.