Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

The Minister might clarify the number of staff in his Department who use the travel pass. I want to separate his reply into two categories. There are two categories, the first of which is travel to and from work, in respect of which the Minister incentivises civil servants to use public transport. Where people have access to the Dart and Luas, these are the options they choose. The major issue is that of the mileage rate for a civil servant in using his or her car, which provides a greater cash incentive than using a train or taxi where a worker is reimbursed the actual cost of travel according to a receipt. There is a discrepancy in mileage rates depending on the size of the car used. Therefore, all other variables being equal, it is preferable for a civil servant to use a car. When one strips away the cost benefit analysis, a civil servant is better off using a car and claiming mileage rather than using a taxi, bus or train because in the latter scenario he or she only receives the cash expended.

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