Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the costs of providing hardware and software to her home and the home of Junior Minister in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12373/13]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the costs of providing telephone in the homes of Ministers and Junior Ministers in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12391/13]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the cost of telephones and ICT provided to the constituency offices including monthly phone bills of Ministers and Junior Ministers in her Department since March 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12410/13]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of mobile phones in use by her and Junior Minister and politically appointed staff; the total costs of the mobile phones since March 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12446/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 to 299, inclusive, and 303 together.

My department has not provided any hardware or software, including telephones, in my home.

Mobile phones have been supplied to me, my advisors Edward Brophy, Paul O’Brien (replacing Kathleen Barrington) and my parliamentary assistant Karen O’ Connell.

Since July 2012 my department has availed of the mobile framework agreement negotiated by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at a monthly cost of €18.50 for all national calls and texts per customer. Total costs before that date are not immediately available but I will forward them to the Deputy separately.

Separate records are not kept of call costs from individual extensions and the cost of telephones to my constituency office cannot be extracted from the overall cost of telephony in the department. ICT services are also supplied generally and no separate records are held of these costs. My department does avail of The Houses of the Oireachtas managed IT support service for the constituency-based offices of Ministers at an annual cost of €4,256.47, reducing to €3,098.10 next year.

The ICT services, including telephony, supplied to me are the normal communications and productivity services required in any modern business environment and are the minimum requirements for the efficient and effective discharges of my responsibilities as a TD and Minister.