Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 172: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent of money spent on ministerial transport in his Department for each of the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. [31587/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The total ministerial transport costs paid by my Department paid in respect of the Ministers and Ministers of State in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 are set out in the table below:

The costs include travel expenses for use of the Minister of States' private cars for each year and of my private car since March 2011, cost of air flights not recouped from the EU, taxi/car hire expenses when abroad and the allowable costs associated with staff employed as drivers of the Ministers' private cars.

The system for the provision and transport of transport for Ministers changed from the use of official to private cars on the appointment of the Government in March 2011. The average annual cost of providing a State car under the previous administration was €280,000. Under current arrangements the average annual cost is less than €100,000.