Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform to specify the exact costs involved in providing a ministerial car to each member of Cabinet in the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36838/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that the principal costs of running the Office Holder fleet comprise the salaries of drivers and the purchase of cars where required, as well as fuel and maintenance. I am also informed by the Garda authorities that prior to 2008 their records for the Office Holder fleet were maintained in manual form and that the extraction of detailed figures would be very difficult and would place an inordinate burden on resources. Consequently, it is not possible to provide the information sought in respect of 2007. The Garda authorities have also indicated that in respect of subsequent years a breakdown of the costs incurred for each individual Office Holder is not readily available. However, the overall costs associated with providing Office Holder cars to Ministers, including the Chief Whip and the Minister of State for Children and Youth Affairs, are detailed in the following table.

The Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to provide costs for 2010 at this stage.