Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 464: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proportion of his Department's training budget that is spent on refunds to staff in respect of night-time or weekend study courses; the list of all courses funded by his Department in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29384/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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One of the key objectives of the training and development strategy of the Department of Foreign Affairs is to foster a culture of continuous learning within the Department to help staff develop the competencies necessary to perform to the best of their ability. In addition to the provision of classroom style and, in some cases, individualised training courses, the Department also operates a refund of fees scheme through which course fees relating to study by staff in their own time may be refunded in full. Such support is dependent on certain criteria. In particular, the course must be relevant to the officer's career in the Civil Service. To qualify for a refund under the scheme, the applicant must also complete the course and sit the relevant examinations. On average, 10% of the Department's annual training budget has been spent on refunds to staff in respect of night time or weekend study courses over the past three years.

To date, 24 of the Department's staff have applied for refunds of fees in respect of courses being undertaken during the 2005-06 academic year. The 19 courses concerned are listed in the accompanying table, as are the courses in respect of which the scheme was availed of in the previous three academic years.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 465: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount spent by his Department on briefcases; the amount refunded to staff in his Department in respect of purchases of briefcases; the number of staff who have received briefcases; the number of staff who have received refunds for briefcases they purchased; the largest single amount paid or refunded in respect of one briefcase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29399/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs only supplies briefcases to staff of assistant secretary grade or above at headquarters. Departmental practice currently allows expenditure of up to a maximum of €100 on any one briefcase. As an indication of the level of expenditure involved, the Department purchased briefcases for two members of staff at headquarters, at a cost of €80.72 each, in the period from 1 January 2004 to-date. No refunds were made to officers who purchased their own briefcases in that period.

As these items come under the general heading of small office equipment, it should be noted that missions abroad, which have their own budgets, may, from time to time, purchase briefcases for senior diplomatic staff without reference to headquarters. It is not practicable, in the time available, to provide details, in respect of every mission, of expenditure that might have been incurred on these items.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 466: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of personal digital assistants provided to staff in his Department; the cost of same; the cost of the most expensive personal digital assistant purchased to date; the grades to which these devices are issued; if personal digital assistants are issued as a matter of course or are subject to preparation of a business case which is subsequently scrutinised; if so, by whom the final decision on allocation of personal digital assistants is made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29414/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs has provided a total of 19 personal digital assistants to staff since 2001. The cost of personal digital assistants is as follows:

The most expensive personal digital assistant provided to a member of staff was €1,461, paid in 2001.

The Department does not issue personal digital assistants to specific grades and considers requests for this equipment on a case-by-case basis. The devices are only issued following a business case approved at a senior level within the division making request, with the final decision on the provision made by the Department's head of information and communications technology.