Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 388: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the estimated spend on mileage allowances for his Department in 2007; the number of claimants in respect of categories (details supplied) under which mileage is paid; the total number of claimants; and the total spend on same. [42626/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In 2007, my Department made payments of €344,138 in respect of mileage costs incurred for official travel by 278 officials based in Ireland and throughout our network of 75 Missions abroad. Payments of €63,152 were made to 57 members of staff under the Vote 29 (Irish Aid) budget. Costs of €280,986were incurred in payments to 221 officials from within the Vote 28 (Department of Foreign Affairs) budget. A substantial element of the latter related to costs incurred by officials travelling to Northern Ireland, particularly to destinations outside of Belfast.

The vast majority of payments made used the motoring allowances of 99 cent a mile for vehicles between 1,201cc and 1,500cc (up to 4,000 miles) and 1 27 cent a mile for vehicles above 1,500cc (up to 4,000 miles) . 18 individuals exceeded 4,000 miles a year in mileage costs and, therefore, qualified for the lower rates of motoring allowances.

While no cycling allowances were claimed in 2007, it should be noted that as the Department of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Dublin are in the city centre, most official meetings are within walking distance. The accounting systems used by my Department do not facilitate the more detailed breakdown of payments in the format requested by the Deputy.