Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Finance the amount of interest paid by him in respect of the late payments for goods or services contracted by his Department for the past five years to date in 2009; the steps being taken to ensure that money is appropriately spent and that payments are made on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25863/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The amount of late payment penalty interest paid from the Vote of the Minster for Finance for the past five years to date in 2009 is set out in the following table. The period between receipt of an invoice from a supplier and payment by my Department has been reducing in recent years and thus far in 2009 has averaged ten days. This is comfortably within the period of 30 days after which, in general, late payment interest starts accruing in respect of unpaid invoices which have no other problems preventing payment. It also complies with the Government's commitment, which came into effect from 15 June last, to have payments from central Government Departments to business suppliers made within a 15 day period on an administrative basis.