210 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the average amount of travel and subsistence allowances paid by his Department in respect of attendance at pre-retirement planning courses prior to the relocation of the Civil Service Training Centre to Tullamore; the average amount paid in respect of attendance at the same course since the centre was relocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13096/07]

From January 2006 to date, nine people from my Department have attended pre-retirement courses organised by the Civil Service Training & Development Centre. Seven of these people attended the course at a Dublin location and as all of them were Dublin based there were no subsistence costs associated with the training.

Two people attended the pre-retirement course in Tullamore and the average cost in respect of subsistence was €700. One of those officers was travelling from a regional location and would have been entitled to subsistence whether the course was held in Dublin or Tullamore.