Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 585: To ask the Minister for Transport 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. [29403/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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In the past year the Department of Transport has spent approximately €1,780 on 23 briefcases, including refunds requested for use by departmental staff. Of those, 20 were acquired for use by driver testers. The largest single amount paid for a briefcase was €225. No briefcase has ever been purchased by the Department for the Minister or his political advisers.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 586: To ask the Minister for Transport 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. [29418/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Staff of my Department are provided with personal digital assistants where there is a business case to do so. There are currently 18 PDAs in the Department. Those have been issued mainly to grades of PO and above. Decisions on the allocation of PDAs are made at Principal Officer level or above.

The total cost of these PDAs is approximately €7,700. The most expensive of these cost approximately €1,170. That was some years ago. My Department has now standardised on technology with an average price of €220 per unit. All figures include VAT.