Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 114: To ask the Minister for Finance if a closing date or dates are operated by his Department in respect of the Civil Service travel pass scheme; if so, the dates in question; the way in which temporary, seasonal or other non-routine workers are accommodated in the scheme. [4922/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department operates the Civil Service travel pass scheme as outlined in the Department of Finance circular 50/2001. In order to participate in the scheme an employee must be employed on a permanent or probationary basis on the date of application. In addition employees employed under fixed-term contract are eligible to join the scheme. The scheme operates on a 12 month basis from 1 January to 31 December each year.

The closing date for applications to join the scheme is determined by the date set by the transport providers for receipt of orders for travel passes. In order to allow time for the processing of applications, the Department usually requires that applications to join the scheme be made one to two weeks prior to this date. For the 2006 travel pass scheme, the date set by the travel operators was 1 December 2005. The Department's closing date for receipt of applications was 25 November 2005.