Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 294: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of departmental credit cards in use in his Department; the names of the authorised signatories of same; the credit limit of same; the amount spent in respect of each card in each of the past three years with a breakdown of the annual bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26568/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Six members of staff in my Department are supplied with credit cards where the outstanding balances are paid directly by the Department to enable them to procure goods and services as part of their official responsibilities. The average annual expenditure limit on these cards is €8,500. Accurate information on detailed expenditure on these cards is not readily available prior to 2008, but from January 2008 to May 2010 the average annual expenditure was approximately €4,700 on each card.

As the Deputy will be aware, credit cards of this nature are no more than a tool which facilitates the efficient discharge of business. Indeed, in many ways it is not possible to procure some goods or services without a credit card where, for example suppliers insist on advance payment.