Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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510. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she 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 her Department has been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits in kind; if these processes have been revised in view of Revenue Commissioner's concerns over practices in other State bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49323/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The expenditure details sought by the Deputy are set out in the attached table.

Travel and subsistence payments made to Department staff are subject to regular internal and external audit. Issues arising regarding payments of this type, including matters such as those highlighted by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, are taken into account by my Department when reviewing its travel and subsistence guidelines for staff and management. The making of travel and subsistence payments is also included as part of an ongoing audit of the Department by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners.