Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1320. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of mobile phones issued to staff in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and the total costs expended by his Department on handsets and phones bills over the same timeframe. [44862/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Attached for the Deputy's information is a table detailing my Department's total expenditure on mobile phones services for departmental staff in 2024.

Prior to January 2024, mobile services contracts and expenditure for DFHERIS officials were managed and met by the Department of Education on a shared services basis under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Responsibility for the provision of mobile phones to my Department's officials and the payments to relevant service providers transferred to my Department and came into effect on 1 January 2024 following an agreed transfer of certain functions under the MoU between both Departments.

Expenditure on purchasing hardware is currently managed by the Department of Education along with device security and user licensing. Details of related mobile phone services expenditure, prior to 2024 and relating to officials of both Departments is available from the Minister for Education.

The figures provided reflect the total value of invoices received and paid by the DFHERIS since 2024. The figures include usage which was incurred in December 2023 and fell due to payment in 2024 and the latest bill received from Vodafone and Three for October 2024 usage which will be paid in the coming days.