Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 309: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has plans to encourage the use of public transport by officials in the course of departmental business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11856/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Travel costs are paid to officials in my Department in accordance with Department of Finance regulations and instructions. These regulations and instructions set out the various conditions governing travel on official business, including the general requirement to use public transport at all times where this is available and feasible. My Department issues internal guidelines to staff from time to time to ensure that these regulations and instructions are adhered to.

Arising from the dispersed nature of my Department's services and, inter alia, the fact that a considerable level of investigative work must be carried out in the course of delivering the Department's services, the use of public transport is not always feasible.