Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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472. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide, in tabular form, the total amount spent in each of the years 2011 to 2014 and in 2015 to date on staff subsistence payments, 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 the Revenue Commissioners concerns over practises in other State bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23685/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I can inform the Deputy that the total amount spent per annum in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and from 1st January to 31st May in 2015 in my Department on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments is as follows:

All travel and subsistence payments are in compliance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform circulars. All payments are approved by managers before the payments are processed.

Expenditure levels are monitored on a regular basis by the financial management unit and audits are carried out to ensure that expenditure is in compliance with the circulars and has a business justification. In addition, all expenditure is subject to regular audit by the Comptroller and Auditors General's Office.