Written answers

Thursday, 18 December 2014

Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Departmental Staff Expenses

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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630. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 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. [49319/14]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The total amount spent per annum in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 on staff subsistence payments and on taxi payments where staff are engaged in official business is laid out in the table below.

2011

2012

2013

2014 (to 16 December) €
Staff Subsistence Payments
528,823.93
570,528.62
522,597.55
443,500.95
Taxi Payments
18,868.07
17,502.61
11,489.54
18,896.55


All travel and subsistence payments were made in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidance on such matters and I am advised that no benefit in kind issues arise. My Department has not been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits in kind.

I understand, however, that such matters are kept under active review, in consultation with the Revenue Commissioners, as appropriate. In that context, following an internal review and an unprompted voluntary disclosure by my Department, a payment of €102,179 was made to the Revenue Commissioners earlier this year. This was in respect of a benefit in kind liability for the period 2011-13 relating primarily to persons living in residential accommodation in or adjacent to national parks. I am advised that, as part of that exercise, my Department also conducted a comprehensive review of all its potential tax liabilities, but that no further liabilities or related matters emerged.

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