Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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132. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 118 of 4 October 2016, the details of which travel and subsistence expenses are subject to regulation and thus must be vouched, and which travel and subsistence expenses may be claimed without being vouched. [34424/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that all judicial travel and subsistence expenses are subject to regulation. Travel and Subsistence expenses are paid in accordance with rates sanctioned by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and are paid in compliance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regulations.

These regulations set out fixed rates payable to judges for mileage and subsistence where judges are required to travel in the performance of their official duties. Expenses claimed which are not covered by these fixed rates should be vouched, for example, expenses incurred in the use of public transport and car parking. All judicial travel and subsistence claims are checked and validated by the Courts Service prior to payment authorisation. This process ensures that claims comply with all relevant regulations and that the amounts claimed are correct.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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133. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 118 of 4 October 2016, the frequency with which audits are conducted; the persons by whom they are conducted; and the number of audits per year that take place. [34425/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions.

However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that all travel and subsistence expenditure, including judicial travel and subsistence, incurred by the Courts Service is subject to audit by the Courts Service Internal Audit Unit. Since 2006, the Internal Audit Unit has carried out 4 audits of travel and subsistence, including judicial travel and subsistence. In addition, all travel and subsistence expenditure is open to review by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General as part of his annual audit of the Courts Service Appropriation Account.

All judicial travel and subsistence claims are checked by the Courts Service prior to payment authorisation to ensure that they comply with all relevant regulations and that the amounts claimed are correct and appropriate for payment.