Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Finance further to the reply of 27 January 2005 in respect of the use of credit cards in his Department, the total expenditure involved and the various transactions covered by credit card payment during the period in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5482/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As stated in my reply on 27 January 2005, since the formation of the Government in June 2002, a total of 18 departmental credit cards have been in use by office holders and officers in my Department, of which 14 cards are currently in use. Two of the cards are held by officers in corporate services division and the administration unit of the Centre for Management and Organisation Development. Those two cards are held for the general usage of the Department in the purchase of a range of goods and services which are mainly required urgently or are of low value.

In the case of the other 16 departmental credit cards, two were held by my predecessor and me as Minister, and the remainder were held by senior officials, including our respective private secretaries and press officers, my special adviser and the private secretary to the Minister of State. The principal usage of those credit cards related to official expenses in connection with travel, including accommodation and subsistence expenses, and official hospitality.

The table below details official expenditure by each category of departmental credit card since June 2002.