Finance minister Brian Cowen confirmed to the Dail last week that since 2004 "a number of laptops to the value of 17,000, inclusive of VAT, were stolen from Revenue offices".

Cowen said the gardai had been informed of the thefts.

A Revenue spokeswoman confirmed none of the laptops have been retrieved. With regard to any confidential information, the spokeswoman said all Revenue laptops are password protected so the thief could not access any sensitive information if any such information was on the laptops.

It has also emerged that eight laptops were stolen from the Department of Foreign Affairs in June 2004.

Responding to a Dail question from Tony Gregory TD, foreign affairs minister Dermot Ahern revealed the thief had been working on contract in the department at the time of the theft. The laptops were valued at 14,800.

Gardai were alerted and the individual was arrested and received a four-year suspended sentence, said Ahern.