Briefcases supplied free to civil servants have cost the State an estimated €20,000. The single most expensive one cost €250 and was supplied to a Department of Health official.
Cases supplied to the Department of Social and Family Affairs were the cheapest at €21.78 each although that department spent most overall at €6,413.
The Minister Séamus Brennan said the cases were bought in bulk and issued to staff as required.
In total €18,910.08 was spent on the cases by 13 Government departments.
The Department of the Environment did not supply any cases while Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey said that "in the time available, it has not been possible to identify and assemble the information requested".
The details were released by Government Ministers in a series of parliamentary replies to Paul McGrath (FG, Westmeath). The Department of Finance spent €1,370 on 31 cases over the past three years, with the most expensive costing €143.
Minister for Finance Brian Cowen suggested: "If the deputy wishes to bring to my attention, by way of representations from him, the names and addresses of any briefcase manufacturers he has a particular interest in, I can bring it to the attention of the relevant department officials".
Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Eamon Ó Cuív said €534.82 had been spent on four cases since 2002 and the most expensive was €242.
That included €86.94 to replace a briefcase destroyed "when the ministerial car was involved in an accident and went on fire".
Mr Ó Cuív said: "I am of the opinion that the cost of replying to this parliamentary question exceeds the cost of providing briefcases to staff in my department during the last three years".
It also emerged that personal digital devices (PDAs) are also supplied to some senior department officials at costs varying from €200 to about €500.
Minister for Health Mary Harney said that PDAs "are only given to staff who, either for technical or business reasons, are away from their offices on a regular basis and require e-mail and phone contact with head office."
