Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 556: To ask the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the rate of travel expense that is mileage paid for use of his private cars; the rate of subsistence payments and any other allowances available to him and his Ministers of State in the course if their appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17247/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The following table shows the private car rates payable to Ministers/Ministers of State.

Rates per Kilometres

The current subsistence allowance for domestic travel for Ministers is €72.66 (i.e. half the civil service Class A overnight rate of €108.99, increased by one-third). As normally applies, the day rates applicable are the Class A day rates effective from 5 March 2009. Ministers and Ministers of State may also claim the vouched cost of a hotel room (including tax and up to 15% service charge). The payment of subsistence to Ministers is on the same basis as that payable to civil servants.

Where Ministers travel abroad or to Northern Ireland they may claim the following. The vouched cost of a hotel room and up to 15% service charge plus the Class A civil service conference rate increased by 1/3, with the exception of the USA and Canada, where it increased by 1/2.

In relation to other allowances, I and my Ministers of State also receive the Ministerial rate of the Parliamentary Standard Allowance (PSA), details of which are published on the Oireachtas website, along with a secretarial allowance which is available to TD's and Senators.

The PSA for Ministers is lower than that for TDs and Senators as the Department provides us with phones. I have availed of the fully vouched option with regard to the PSA.