480 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Transport the amount spent by his Department on opinion polling and focus group research in each of the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1182/11]

My Department spent €11,858 in 2007 and €23,939.24 in 2008 on opinion polling. There were no expenses incurred in 2009 and 2010.

481 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Transport the number of mobile telephones paid for by public bodies under his remit in each of the years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010; the total cost of paying mobile telephone bills in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1197/11]

The provision of mobile phones by public bodies under my remit is an operational matter for the bodies in question.

482 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Transport the number of mobile telephones paid for by his Department in each of the years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010; the total cost of paying mobile telephone bills in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1212/11]

The number of mobile phones and costs of bills for the years in question are in the table below:

The figure for 2006 includes costs for the Driver Testing function, which was transferred out of the Department on 1st September 2006.

The number of phones is estimated for each year as the number of mobile phone holders can fluctuate from month to month. The figure includes phones provided to the volunteers with the Irish Coast Guard. Cost figures include the current costs incurred for Blackberry's and mobile broadband.