445 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of parliamentary questions replied to by his Department in 2006; the cost involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4773/07]

Records in my Office indicate that I answered 1,528 parliamentary questions in 2006. No data is kept in my Department on the cost of answering parliamentary questions. Answering parliamentary questions is an activity which is integral to my Department's activities, and the costs are spread across a wide number of divisions and systems; there are also costs arising in the Oireachtas for which my Department would not be accountable.