Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the annual cost of the new scheme introduced for the provision of drivers for Ministers in 2011 and to date in 2012; if he will provide a comparison of the annual cost of the provision of civilian drivers and the Ministers using their own cars with the previous scheme of Garda drivers and State cars. [25373/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The cost for the provision of ministerial transport at my Department in 2011 was €57,248.77. In 2012 the cost to date is €36,919.50 and includes the salaries of the two civilian drivers plus the employer's P.R.S.I. contribution together with relevant subsistence expenses claimed by the Drivers. My Department does not have the financial information required by the Deputy in relation to the former practice of providing Cabinet Ministers with a State car and Garda drivers as this system was administered by the Department of Justice. However, I am aware that my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in response to a parliamentary question on the 28th, February 2012 stated that the new procedures in relation to Ministerial transport introduced by this Government will yield an estimated annual saving of the order of €4 million.