Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 847: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of mobile telephone bills paid directly by his Department in 2006 and to date in 2007; the percentage or amount of this for each year that applies to data charges; the percentage or amount of this for each year that applies to roaming charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33342/07]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 848: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of mobile telephone bills paid in the form of expenses to staff by his Department in 2006 and to date in 2007; the percentage or amount of this for each year that applies to data charges; the percentage or amount of this for each year that applies to roaming charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33357/07]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 849: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount of mobile telephone bills paid in relation to the departmental mobile telephone assigned to him by his Department in 2006 and to date in 2007; the percentage or amount of this for each year that applies to data charges; the percentage or amount of this for each year that applies to roaming charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33372/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 873: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of mobile phones used by him and supplied by his Department; the annual cost of same for each year since 1997 to date in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33737/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 874: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if any of the advisers or staff appointed by him directly have mobile phones and other equipment supplied by his Department; the annual cost of same since 1997 to date in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33752/07]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 919: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of staff in his Department that are provided with a Blackberry device or similar mobile e-mail equipment. [34226/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 847, 848, 849, 873, 874 and 919 together.

I can inform the Deputies that mobile communications devices have become essential business tools without which the Department could not adequately deliver the services expected from it. They add enormously to productivity, flexibility and speed of response. My Department's total expenditure on mobile phone accounts, including accounts supporting various other mobile communications and data devices, amounted to €335,000 in 2006. Expenditure for 2007 to date is €290,189. Figures for expenditure in previous years is not readily available. Analysis of the Department's bills indicate that data charges are estimated to comprise approximately 20% and roaming charges 15% of the overall bill. However, it should be noted that the data charges include those incurred in respect of devices primarily designed for the transfer of data. The number of mobile phone accounts at any point in time varies in accordance with operational needs. At the present there are 669 mobile accounts, including accounts to support other communications devices. 118 of these accounts relate to Blackberry devices.

Total expenditure on mobile phones and other mobile communications devices in respect of staff appointed directly by myself, as well as my own mobile phone, amounts to €4236.67 since my appointment as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.