Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 407: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the cost of providing transport including their official car to Ministers of State in his Department and staff for each year from 1997 to date in 2007. [33675/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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There is no official car provided to the Ministers of State at my Department. They can claim mileage expenses for official travel and these are detailed in the table that follows this reply. My Department also pays the salaries of four civilian drivers, two for each Minister of State, at an individual annual salary cost of €33,148. Details of the cost of air travel incurred when the Ministers of State are travelling abroad on official business are also provided in the table. The figures in the table cover the period from 2002 to date. It has not been possible, in the time available, to retrieve the detailed information for the period prior to 2002.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 408: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the cost of him using public transport for every year since 1997 to date in 2007; and the cost of providing similar services to junior Ministers and staff for the same period. [33690/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I have outlined below the costs incurred on public transport since 1997 by the private offices of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Ministers of State at this Department.