The number of corporate credit cards used by individual Government departments ranges from two to 29, according to information released in a series of written Dáil replies.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Health, Ms Harney, said there were nine corporate credit cards in use in her Department. Credit cards were issued to her and to eight nominated officers but not to Ministers of State.
"These transactions related to the payments in respect of accommodation, transport, official entertainment, software, books, publications, conference and seminar fees, annual membership for professional bodies and courier services," she said.
Fourteen credit cards are currently in use at the Department of Finance by named individuals for official purposes. The Minister for Finance, Mr Cowen, said that bills had to be approved by the corporate services division prior to payment.
The principal usage "relates to official expenses in connection with travel abroad, accommodation and official hospitality", he told Fine Gael TD, Mr Bernard Durkan (Kildare, North), who asked each Minister about the number of credit card issues and to whom, the circumstances of usage and the number of transactions.
Mr Durkan said later that when he was a minister, these questions were asked "every week" about who worked in his office, who paid for the entertainment, who did the PR.
"I accepted that and we answered them. The Opposition's job is to ask questions." The important thing was "the degree to which the reply is accurate - who uses the credit cards and to what purpose". The deputy did not ask the costs involved in the use of the cards.
The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said that he and five officials had cards, while 23 charge cards had been issued to facilitate officials engaged in regular official travel.
He said the frequency of usage could only be determined by a detailed examination of a large number of statements. "I consider that such an exercise would be an unwarranted and disproportionate use of staff and other resources," he concluded.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has 21 official credit cards, while there are 12 at Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.
