Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the costs of providing hardware and software to his home and the home of Junior Minister in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12363/13]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the costs of providing telephone in the homes of Ministers and Junior Ministers in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12381/13]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the cost of telephones and ICT provided to the constituency offices including monthly phone bills of Ministers and Junior Ministers in his Department since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12400/13]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if any additional costs other than telephones, ICT and monthly phone bills are being paid to constituency office by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12418/13]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of mobile phones in use by him and Junior Minister and politically appointed staff; the total costs of the mobile phones since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12436/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 369 to 373, inclusive, together.

Details of all hardware provided by my Department to my home are as follows: One PC and one scanner at a total cost of €325.00. No Departmental equipment has been provided to the Minister of State, Deputy O’Dowd’s home and there was no software procured for use by myself or the Minister of State.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department at all times seeks to achieve the optimum cost efficiency in the provision of both ICT and communications equipment

and telephone services to the offices of Ministers, and throughout the Department. Regarding the Deputy’s specific questions, I can confirm that the Department has

not provided telephone equipment in either my home or the home of the Minister of State.

The cost, from February 2011 to date of the provision of ICT equipment to both of the constituency offices is €5,503, with all printers and scanners provided from existing Department stock. In the same period the costs of telephony for constituency offices amounted to €4,167.90. My Department has not incurred any costs, additional to ICT and communications costs.

A total of 11 mobile communications devices (phone, data and tablet) have been provided to myself, the Minister of State and politically appointed staff. The cost of the provision and operation of this equipment and ancillary equipment was €6,769.63 in 2011, €8,353.22 in 2012 and €1,660.98 to date in 2013.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the cost of drivers of each vehicle assigned to him and Junior Ministers in his Department since March 2011; the mileage and other costs claimed in respect of each since March 2011; the overall yearly costs of Ministerial cars in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12454/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The information requested by the Deputy on costs from March 2011 to date is outlined in the tables following.

Minister’s Car

Minister of State’s Car

My Department did not incur any Ministerial transport costs in 2010. In that year 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. In addition the Minister of State assigned to my Department in 2010 did not claim mileage in my Department. The decision to terminate state transport for Ministers (other than An Taoiseach, An Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice) has led to savings of 65% to the Exchequer.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of credit cards issued to staff and Ministers in his Department and the total costs of each card since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12473/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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In total, there are three credit cards held in my Department since March 2011. The cards are held by the Minister, Private Secretary to the Minister and the Private Secretary to the Minister of State.

The use of cards provides for the efficient management of payments, but all use is subject to the overriding objective of economy and efficiency, full compliance with travel and subsistence rules, value for money and compliance with rules and expenditure limits on hospitality. Total expenditure over the two year period on each of the cards was €1,625.98, €5,440.62 and €3,664.18 respectively.