Author: Gavin Sheridan

Minister for Finance diary 2010

As part of an ongoing process. This is the diary of the Minister for Finance for the year 2010.


Minister for Finance diary 2011

As part of an ongoing process. This is the appointments diary of the Minister for Finance from January to May 2011. Redactions are related to personal information (mobile numbers) and meetings of government:


Costs of establishing the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

This is expenditure in relation to the newly created Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, obtained via an FOI request, but sent to me outside of FOI. The question was partly answered through a PQ in June. A story appears in today’s Sunday Times (page 4) by Mark Tighe and myself detailing the response of the Department. Included costs also related to Minister Howlin’s constituency office in Wexford. Among the items purchased:

New Furniture charges supply and delivery of filing cabinets EUR4,781.44
New Tea Station charge from OPW EUR7,638 incl. VAT
Plus EUR4,368 for Plumbing and Electrical Works incl. VAT
Shredder for Constituency office in Wexford. EUR592.9 euros incl.VAT
Fax machine for Constituency office in Wexford. EUR317.02 euros incl.VAT
Dictation Transcriber for Constituency office in Wexford. EUR675.18 euros incl.VAT
Photo Copier for Constituency Office in Wexford EUR3,015 plus VAT = EUR3,648.15
Key cut for Minister’s toilet EUR47.67 Euros incl. VAT.
T.V. in room 1.20 appox EUR289.95 (Invoice not in as yet).
Power points/TV brackets in room 1.20 EUR84 euros plus VAT = EUR95.34
Room 1.23 install two TV Units EUR42 euros plus VAT = EUR47.67
Room 1.19 Hang notice board EUR21 euros plus VAT = EUR23.84
Room 1.19 install digi lock on door EUR204.55 plus VAT = EUR232.16
Room 1.23 Install digi lock on door EUR204.55 plus VAT = EUR232.16
IPhone for Minister Howlin EUR359.37
Sign for Minister’s toilet incl. VAT EUR47.67 Euros.
Hang three notice boards for staff member EUR42 euros plus VAT = EUR47.67.
Elevate desk in room 1.24 EUR84 euros plus VAT = EUR95.34.
Painting and Carpet for Room 1.14 EUR1,367 plus VAT EUR1,551.54
Mobile Galaxy for Special Adviser EUR99.27
Mobile Galaxy for Special Adviser EUR99.27
Mobile for Private Secretary EUR99.27
Mobile Galaxy replacement phone for Special Adviser EUR99.27 (original lost).
6 Nameplates for new Department of PER EUR1,891 plus VAT =2,288.11.


Where does your money go?

Have you ever wondered what happens when you pay taxes? Ever wonder when it disappears from your pay slip, where exactly it goes? I often do, indeed, I believe citizens have a right to see where it all goes.

This handy flowchart from the Department of Finance gives us an idea of exactly what happens our taxes, and indeed the money we borrow. I will make a clearer digital copy soon.


Justice briefing document – March 2011

I am just catching up with these fascinating documents, each of them released by various Departments. Essentially they are the briefing papers for incoming Ministers so they can understand the structure of their new brief. Unfortunately almost all of the them were uploaded as scanned documents, with little or no ability to search, and heavily redacted in parts (often with no justification).

Here are the Justice briefing papers, including some odd removals of the names of all the senior staff in the Department, but with no reference as to why they were removed (that I can find). I would assume there were security considerations, but this is not mentioned in the redactions table. The document has been OCRd.