John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 90: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will confirm the number of credit cards issued by him and to whom; the criteria for issuing such cards; the credit card company used; if a competitive process was used to select the company; if the facility has had to be withdrawn from any person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11557/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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My Department, which is responsible for Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Cooperation), operates a restrictive policy for the use of corporate credit cards for official expenditure. The use of official credit cards may be permitted for officials who, because of the nature of their work, need to make official payments by this method. Credit cards are typically used to make occasional flight and hotel bookings, for making on-line purchases where it represents better value and for making payments at short notice, where cash may not be acceptable or where invoicing arrangements cannot be put in place.

Their use is subject to the same authorisation and control procedures as other forms of payment and decisions to issue a card are made in response to identified business needs.

While credit card companies require that the accounts be operated by named authorised signatories, it must be stressed that in my Department they are used exclusively for official, rather than personal use.

There has been no instance where a corporate credit card has been withdrawn from any official.

There are currently 4 official credit cards in use by my Department in Ireland and 15 in use by Missions abroad. In each case, the authorised holder of the card is a named official of the Department. Details of these cards are set out below in tabular form. The identities of the officials concerned have been withheld for security purposes.

The credit card service providers are selected on a case by case basis by comparing the rates and terms offered by service providers to ensure best value for money.