Written answers

Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Ministerial Transport

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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77. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister and Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44883/14]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The ministerial transport costs paid by my Department in respect of the Ministers and Ministers of State in the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 are set out in the table.

The costs include travel expenses for use of the Minister of States’ private cars for each year, the use of my private car since March 2011 and pay and subsistence costs associated with staff employed as drivers of the Ministers’ private cars.

The system for the provision 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 and this is the basis of the costs associated with former Minister Brendan Smith.

Minister/Minister of State Year Total Transport Costs
Brendan Smith Minister

( 01/01/2010 -9/3/2011)
2010
€280, 000
2011
€70,000
Trevor Sargent

Minister of State

( 01/01/2010-22 /3/2010 )
20 10
€47,717.38*
Tony Killeen

Minister of State

(01/01/2010 -22/3/2010)
2010

€74,206.20*
Sean Connick

Minister of State

(23/3/2010-9/3/2011)
2010
€67,339.26
2011
€ 5,045.94
Simon Coveney, Minister

(From 10/3/2011-
2011
€81850.21
2012
€121,646.11
2013
€115,380.02
Shane Mc Entee deceased

Minister of State

(10/3/2011 - 21/12/12)




2011




€73,488.69
2012
€103,372.18
2013
€21,972.06*
Tom Hayes

Minister of State

( From 5/6/2013-
2013
€61, 882.18
*Includes Severance Pay paid to drivers.

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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78. To ask the Minister for Defence the ministerial transport costs for the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive, for each Minister and Minister of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44887/14]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In 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.

In March 2011 the Government brought in new arrangements in respect of ministerial transport. Under the 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.

As part of the new arrangements the Government agreed that the Minister for Justice and Equality should retain a State car and Garda drivers. As my predecessor was Minister for Justice and Equality and Minister for Defence this arrangement applied to him and all costs associated with his transportation were met from the Vote of An Garda Síochána. All of my transport costs have been borne by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine since my appointment as Minister for Defence.

The Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Defence, Paul Kehoe T.D., is assigned two civilian drivers who were appointed in May 2011. The costs associated with the drivers since May 2011 is set out below.

Year
No. of drivers
Total Costs

2010
Nil
Nil
2011
2
60,217
2012
2
104,041
2013
2
101,739




Any mileage and car related expenses paid to Minister of State Kehoe are a matter for the Department of the Taoiseach.

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