Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of parliamentary questions replied to by his Department in 2006; the cost involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3236/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I responded to some 2,300 Parliamentary Questions in 2006, both written and oral.

Parliamentary Questions are dealt with, as the need arises, by the staff in the sections dealing with the particular issue(s) raised in individual Parliamentary Questions. The number and level of staff and time spent on an individual answer depends on the complexity of the issues raised, the form in which the information exists in the Department, and the form of the proposed response, i.e. whether oral or written.

As the processing of Parliamentary Questions is undertaken as part of the normal day to day work of individual sections within the Department it is not possible to isolate the administration costs of processing Parliamentary Questions from the overall administrative costs of the Department.