Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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251. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form the total amount spent per annum in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments; if his Department has been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits in kind; if these processes have been revised in view of concerns by the Revenue Commissioners over practices in other State bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25813/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The expenditure details sought by the Deputy are set out in the attached table. Travel and subsistence payments paid to Department staff are subject to regular internal and external audit. Issues arising regarding payments of this type, including matters such as those recently highlighted by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, would be taken into account by my Department in reviewing its travel and subsistence guidelines for staff and management.

Note: Expenditure figures shown above are in respect of all staff in the Department of Education and Skills including field officers in the Inspectorate and the National Educational Psychologist Service (NEPS). In addition, the expenditure figures are in respect of payments made in the years as shown, which may also include payments relating to a previous year.