Written answers

Friday, 16 September 2016

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Departmental Expenditure

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

887. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to set out the number of credit cards issued to Ministers and officials working in his Department; the amount spent on credit cards by his Department in 2014 and in 2015; the amount of bank interest paid on credit cards in 2014 and 2015; the controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on these cards; the controls in place in each agency to monitor expenditure on personally held credit card bills that are subsequently used to recoup work related expenses; if these controls are being reviewed in view of recent events in agencies funded by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24747/16]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

888. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to set down in tabular form the number of credit cards issued to staff working in each State agency funded by his Department; the number of cards per funded agency; the amount spent by credit card in 2014 and 2015 by each agency; the amount of bank interest paid on credit cards in 2014 and 2015; the controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on these cards; the controls in place in each agency to monitor expenditure on personally held credit card bills that are subsequently used to recoup work related expenses; if these controls are being reviewed in view of recent events in agencies funded by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24762/16]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

889. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to set down in tabular form the number of credit cards issued to staff working in any third party agency funded by his Department; the number of cards per funded agency; the amount spent by credit card in 2014 and 2015 by each agency; the controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on these cards; the controls in place in each agency to monitor expenditure on credit card bills that are subsequently used to recoup work-related expenses; whether these controls are being reviewed in view of recent events in agencies funded by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24777/16]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 887 to 889, inclusive, together.

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Description20142015
Number of credit cards66
Amount spent on credit cards€35,784€29,925
Amount of bank interest paid€83.30€0.00
There are guidelines in place to ensure the appropriate use of credit cards in my Department and these are set out in an office notice that is circulated to all staff. The latest update was issued to all staff earlier this month. The notice outlines the application process along with guidelines for the use of official credit cards. Requests for credit cards must be sanctioned at a senior management level and the request must include a statement outlining the necessity of the card.

Members of staff who hold an official credit card receive a copy of their monthly statement and are required to certify that all charges incurred are correct and official in nature. They must certify that the appropriate approval had been obtained for the expenditure in cases where approval is required by a senior officer, the statement should be countersigned by the relevant senior officer and include receipts, in all cases. In the event that a receipt cannot be provided, the staff member is required to provide a detailed explanation of the charge. A hard copy of the statement, certified as being in order for payment, must be returned before that payment can be made.

The guidelines also cover personal purchases made by an individual officer. Payment must be made with the monthly statement together with an explanation regarding the use of the card for the purchase. Significant use of a departmental credit card for personal reasons would result in its withdrawal.

Credit card expenditure is subject to audit by the Internal Audit Unit and the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) to ensure that correct procedures are being followed in relation to the issue and use of Departmental credit cards.

The Office of Public Works

Description20142015
Number of credit cards5077
Amount spent on credit cards€180,057€467,267
Amount of bank interest paid€0.00€0.00
The controls in place to monitor the issuing of and the expenditure on cards are set out in an internal Office Notice. These controls are subject to ongoing review and the latest Office Notice issued to all staff in July 2016. The Office Notice identifies the internal controls in place for credit cards and identifies the individual responsibilities of Cardholders, Card Managers, Approvers and the Card Administrators.

Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB)

Description20142015
Number of credit cards33*
Amount spent on credit cards£8,556£12,346
Amount of bank interest paid£0.00£0.00
(* Since August 2015, there are two credit cards remaining in issue)

The Chief Executive Officer must approve the issue of any additional cards (no new cards issued in last 8 years). Expenditure is subject to all normal checks and controls applied by the Finance Team (normally in advance), who monitor usage, inspect receipts and procurement applied etc. These cards are used predominantly for advance purchase of flights/hotel accommodation for all staff (not just for the cardholders). These cards are not generally used for other expenses by the cardholders. All expenditure claimed as work related expenses are subject to 100% checking by finance team prior to payment, regardless of how the individual has funded the payment. Controls in this area are reviewed on a regular basis, and amended as necessary. Auditors also regularly consider this area.

Public Appointments Service (PAS)

Description20142015
Number of credit cards22
Amount spent on credit cards€18,000€24,000
Amount of bank interest paid€0.00€0.00
Each credit card has a specific credit card policy, signed by anyone with access to the credit card. One credit card is an office credit card, which is used for all organisational credit card transactions, but is controlled by one person. All expenditure on this card has to be signed off by two people. Supporting documentation on all expenditure on that credit card is verified by the Finance Unit on a monthly basis. The other credit card is retained by the CEO and any expenditure is signed off by the Personal Officer and counter signed by the Chairperson of the Board of PAS. There are already extremely tight controls on each of the office Credit Cards and they are reviewed on an annual basis.

The State Laboratory

Description20142015
Number of credit cards11
Amount spent on credit cards€3,056€3,087
Amount of bank interest paid€0.00€0.00
The State Laboratory have a policy on the use of credit cards. The monthly credit card bill is reviewed by a senior member of staff. The controls on credit card expenditure have been approved by and are audited by the internal auditor. The C&AG audit the credit card account every year.

The Office of the Ombudsman

Description20142015
Number of credit cards11
Amount spent on credit cards€9,453€7,184
Amount of bank interest paid€0.00€0.00
Receipts are provided in respect of all purchases made on the office credit card. A credit card control sheet is completed and the receipts are reconciled with and attached to the relevant credit card statement. The credit control sheet and the monthly credit card statement must be certified by the Director General as in order for payment, prior to payment by the Finance Unit. Personal expenditure on the office credit card is very infrequent. In such situations, any request for recoupment of such expenditure would be subject to the full ambit of controls contained in the procedures for processing general payments. The credit card policy was reviewed in May of this year.

The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) do not hold any credit cards.

There are no third party agencies funded by my Department.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.