Ministerial transport costs more than €14m since 2011

The State has spent more than €14 million on ministerial transport since 2011, according to figures revealed during Dáil questions.

Since May 2011, the use of State cars and Garda drivers has been confined to the President, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Chief Justice and the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Together these departments have accounted for almost €9 million of spending on ministerial transport over the past three years, some of which includes costs associated with old transport arrangements. The figure for these departments in 2010 was €7.5 million.

Under the 2011 arrangement, other Cabinet Ministers as well as Ministers of State, are expected to provide their own cars but are assigned two civilian drivers. Former presidents and taoisigh are supplied with official transport for important State occasions only.

Of the other departments, the highest spender is Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, at €994,430 over the past three years. Transport costs at the Department of Health during the same period were €783,869, while the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government spent €604,066.

The information, which does not include figures for the Department of Transport, was released to Fianna Fáil social protection spokesman Willie O’Dea.

It shows the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has spent the lowest amount on ministerial transport, €55,031, since 2011. Among the other low spenders is the Department of Foreign Affairs, which spent €67,564 over the same period.

The Government claims the average cost of providing transport has been reduced by 65 per cent, from about €280,000 per minister (cost of the State car and Garda drivers) in 2010 to about €100,000 a year now.

The average cost of ministerial transport per department last year works out at about €161,000.

Office holders

2011: €4.595 million

2012: €2.201 million

2013: €2.160 million

Total: €8.956 million

Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

2011: €356,156.09

2012: €318,425.02

2013: €319,849.62

Total: €994,430.73

Health

2011: 243,312.40

2012: 244,927.47

2013: 295,629.43

Total: 783,869.30

Environment, Community and Local Government

2011: €168,083

2012: €220,469

2013: €215,514

Total: €604,066

Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

2011: €140,038

2012: €231,898

2013: €224,814

Total: €596,750

Education and Skills

2011: €158,723

2012: €198,184

2013: €212,210

Total: €569,117

Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

2011: €126,920

2012: €199,821

2013: €211,830

Total: €538,571

Agriculture, Food and the Marine

2011: €230.384.84

2012: €235,018.29

2013: €119,234.26

Total: €509,591.45

Finance

2011: €87,289.91

2012: €116,297.76

2013: €117,085.91

Total: €320,673.58

Public Expenditure and Reform

2011: € 71,774.27

2012: €108,060.84

2013: €106,141.71

Total: €285,976.82

Social protection

2011: €32,790.95

2012: €70,514.69

2013: €80,145.20

Total: €183,450.84

Foreign Affairs

2011: 36,010

2012: 18, 725

2013: 12,829

Total: 67,564

Children and Youth Affairs

2011: €19,599

2012: €14,600

2013: €20,832

Total: €55,031

Transport Tourism and Sport

No data

Overall: €14,465,091.72