Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 132: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent of money spent on ministerial transport in his Department for each of the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. [31590/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the table below:

*This relates to the period of 1st January 2009 up until 24th April 2009. The Minister of State after this period did not claim mileage in my Department.

During 2009 and 2010 all Government Ministers were provided with a State car that was driven by a member of An Garda Síochána from a pool of Gardaí, two of whom were assigned to the Minister at that time. The cost of this service was funded from the Vote of An Garda Síochána. The Government decided on 15th March 2011, inter alia, that with the exception of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, who retained their State car and Garda Drivers, the travel arrangements that were in place for Ministers of State would apply to all Ministers with regard to their official travel.

Under these new arrangements, Ministers could appoint two civilian drivers to drive the Minister's car and claim mileage in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines. I understand that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has estimated that the decision to discontinue the provision of State cars for Cabinet Ministers (with the exception of An Taoiseach, An Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice and Equality) has reduced the cost to the Exchequer on average by 65%.