Written answers

Wednesday, 29 June 2005

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Local Authority Staff

10:00 pm

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 483: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to set out the details of the schemes and rates of travel expenses paid to local authority employees; if there are flat fixed payments to certain employees for travel and to what grades this applies; if there are different rates payable depending on a person's grade to different employees; to explain the background to this situation; to outline the different schemes in different local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23145/05]

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 484: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the involvement of his Department with travel subsistence expenses paid to local authority employees and to members of local authorities through dealings between the Department and the local authorities or their representatives through the social partnership process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23146/05]

Photo of Dick RocheDick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 483 and 484 together.

Details of rates of travel expenses paid to local authority employees were most recently set out for local authorities in January 2004 and have effect from 1 January 2003. The mileage rates involved are outlined in the table appended below. Scale A rates are the normal rates of travel. Scale B rates, which involve a fixed annual allowance and reduced mileage rates, are payable to all engineering officers. Managers, assistant managers, directors of services, rate inspectors,or checkers, and chief fire officers, may opt for scale B. Managers, assistant managers and directors of services may also opt for a fixed annual travel allowance on foot of paragraph 6.39 of report No. 20 of the review body on higher remuneration in the public sector.

In the case of some local authorities, arrangements are in place whereby staff required to undertake frequent journeys within the local authority area in the course of their duties are paid fixed travel allowances based on regular logs of mileage actually travelled.

Local Authority Motor Mileage Rates from 1 January 2003.
Scale A Rates per mile in a mileage year.
Official Mileage in a calendar year Engine Capacity Up to 1,200cc Engine Capacity 1,201cc to 1,500cc Engine Capacity 1,501cc and over
cent cent cent
Up to 4,000 86.05 101.27 120.26
4,001 and over 43.50 50.29 56.40
Scale B.
Official Mileage in a calendar year Engine Capacity up to 1,200cc Engine Capacity 1,201cc to 1,500cc Engine Capacity 1,501cc and over
Annual Allowance Annual Allowance Annual Allowance
â'¬1,105 â'¬1,186 â'¬1,227
Cent cent cent
Up to 4,000 50.55 60.79 74.23
4,001 and over 53.13 62.23 70.21

Subsistence rates payable to local authority employees are the same as those paid to civil servants. Current arrangements for the payment of travel expenses to local authority employees are based on a recommendation of the Labour Relations Commission in 2001. The rates are adjusted on the basis of increases in civil service rates from time to time.

Local elected members are paid an annual expenses allowance to cover reasonable expenses incurred by them in attending meetings associated with their council business. Increases in the rates for mileage and subsistence applicable to local authority members follow similar increases in the rates payable to local authority officials. From time to time reviews of the expenses system for the local elected member are carried out involving my Department, the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners. The three representative associations, the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, the General Council of County Councils and the Local Authority Members' Association, are consulted in any such review. All of the above arrangements have evolved separately from the social partnership process.

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