Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 695: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount of banking charges paid by his Department over the past three years; the breakdown of these charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22880/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Education and Science operates a number of bank accounts with commercial banking organisations. These accounts are principally used to make payments by Electronic Funds Transfer or to receive funds which are subsequently transferred to this Department's Exchequer account in the Central Bank. Generally my Department does not have fees levied on its accounts. My Department makes payments to overseas suppliers/grant recipients and operates a foreign currency bank account to facilitate these types of payments. In relation to this account my Department paid an average of less than €10 per year in charges in respect of the years 2006, 2007 and 2008.

A small volume of my Department's payments continue to be made by payable order drawn on the Paymaster General (PMG), who is for all practical purposes the bank of Government Departments. Under the Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924, the PMG functions are assigned to the Department of Finance. The cost of the PMG's services are met under Vote 6 - Office of the Minister for Finance.

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 696: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount spent by his Department each year for the past three years on bottled water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22894/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The amount spent by my Department on bottled water for the last three years was €5,869.74 in 2006; €2,998.32 in 2007 and €3,259.74 in 2008. My Department's policy is to replace bottled water dispensers with filtered tap water where possible.