Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number and cost of mobile phones or such communications equipment issued to programme managers, advisers, press officers and departmental personnel during each of the past three years; and the annual billing cost of same. [19519/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department administers around 50 schemes and makes payments to 1 million people each week. In order to deliver these services efficiently and effectively, a number of staff in the Department have been supplied with mobile phones for use in the course of their work. These phones are supplied for official use only and arrangements are in place to reimburse the department for any personal calls made. Details of the mobile phones and similar communication equipment supplied by my Department and billing costs for the years in question are as follows:

My Department had no programme managers during these years. The equipment in question was either purchased prior to the period or was provided as a non-chargeable upgrade by the telecommunications provider.