Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

402. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent by his Department on taxi and or limousine fares in the past two years to date by year and amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35489/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department comprises two separate votes, Vote 28 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vote 27 International Co-operation.

Taxi and car hire costs for 2016 amounted to €507,201 and for the period January 2017 to date amount to €341,709.

My Department is fully compliant with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on official travel and also operates its own detailed internal travel guidelines. The central aim of the Departmental travel policy is to minimise official travel costs and to achieve value for money for expenditure necessarily incurred, consistent with the effective discharge of official duties.