Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 489: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of credit cards held by his Department; the cost of same for each year since 2000 to date in 2007; the persons who hold these cards and for whom they are used; the annual amounts purchased; the cumulative interest on same for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33577/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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It is my Department's policy to have in place an official credit card account under which credit cards are issued to the Minister(s), Private Secretary to the Minister and certain senior officials. As of now, eight cards have been issued. However, I do not use an official credit card. One of the cards issued under the account is for Departmental use in the case of exceptional purchases or bookings where a credit card is required by the supplier and can only be used with the prior approval of the Finance Officer.

The total costs incurred on these credit cards between June and December 2006 was €7,965.29, while expenditure to date in 2007 is €28,579.34. No interest charges have been incurred on the Department's credit card account.

Prior to June 2006, the arrangements in place for the provision of credit/charge cards to Ministers and Departmental officials was on the basis of individual cardholders being personally liable for all charges incurred. Where expenditure was incurred for official purposes, such costs could be reclaimed by the cardholder in accordance with Department of Finance rules on travel, subsistence, entertainment etc. As charges incurred on all such cards were the specific responsibility of the cardholder and not the Department, records are not available on the overall usage of these cards prior to June 2006.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 490: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the cost to his Department of photographers used by all Ministers in his Department on a yearly basis for each year since 1997 to date in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33592/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The cost incurred by my Department to date in 2007 for services provided by photographers is €11,069.56. In previous years it was standard practice for photographers to be sourced indirectly by my Department's PR consultants. It has not been possible to isolate the costs attributable to photography services within the consultancy fees in the time available.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 491: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the cost of make-up for him for each year since 1997 to date in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33607/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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No cost has been incurred in respect of make-up for me at any time.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 492: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the cost of his Department's entertainment allowance for each year since 1997 to date in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33622/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The expenditure incurred by my Department, including the National Archives, on official entertainment since its establishment in June 2002 is set out below.

The National Museum and National Library were part of my Department until May 2005 when they were established as separate entities but the expenditure by those bodies in that period is not available in my Department. The figure for 2006 reflects the fact that during that year, Ireland held the Presidency of the European Union.