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
