John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 514: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the costs that are borne by his Department relative to his constituency office and home such as telephone, IT services and so on; if the lease or rent of a constituency office is paid or part paid for by his Department; the number of civil servants appointed to carry out constituency work for him based in the Department or in the constituency office; the costs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15170/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The costs borne by the Department in relation to my constituency office are as follows:

Telephone costs including line rental and call charges for both fixed and mobile phones;

IT services including Data link rental, Personal Computer and printer provision. (These services are based on a shared service model for the provision of Managed IT support service for constituency based offices of Ministers and Ministers of State delivered by the Houses of the Oireachtas Service.)

The following table summarises the relevant costs to date since my appointment:

No costs have been incurred in relation to services to my home.

There are 3.3 (full time equivalent) civil servants engaged in constituency work at a cost of €109,764.90. No rent or lease is paid by my Department in respect of any constituency offices.

*These include Minister Coveney's own mobile phone costs as well as that of a Constituency office member of staff. ** Estimate based on 3 months in office at an average monthly cost of €371.37. These services have yet to be billed. The figure for full year costs for year one of this service as outlined in the schedule of costs associated with it will be €4,456.49.