Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 333: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if free car parking is available to officials working in his Department; the number of parking spaces available for employees at his Department's offices and relevant agencies; his views on whether the availability of free parking is consistent with the need to establish sustainable travel patterns; the measures he proposes to encourage more sustainable travel patterns for people working within his Department and in the wider public service generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27889/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Department's accommodation is provided by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and any costs arising from the provision of car parking are met by that Office.

The Department currently has 184 car parking spaces available for staff in its Dublin offices, 95 spaces in Wexford shared between 4 bodies including my Department, 94 spaces in Ballina shared between 5 bodies including my Department and 57 spaces nationwide for Met Éireann staff. My Department also has some 40 regional offices, mainly housing National Parks and Wildlife Service staff, who have access to some car parking. Parking is also available in the National Parks and Nature Reserves but this is largely for visitors.

Arrangements regarding accommodation and car parking for the bodies and agencies under the aegis of the Department are a day-to-day operational matter for the bodies concerned.

In terms of encouraging sustainable travel patterns, the Department actively encourages staff to use means of transport, other than cars, wherever possible. To this end, the Department is a partner in the One Small Step campaign by the Dublin Transportation Office. The campaign aims to motivate car users in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) to try alternative modes of transport for at least some of their journeys. In September 2007, the travel patterns of Departmental employees in the GDA were surveyed. The results showed that 78% of the Department's staff living and working in the area either avail of public transport, walk or cycle, as their preferred method of travel to work. The number of staff driving to work is remarkably low (18%), especially compared to the GDA regional peak period average of approximately 60% (DTO).

Initiatives to encourage the use of sustainable transport options in the Department have included:

the provision of new cycling facilities for staff in the Custom House in November 2007,

encouraging take up of the Civil Service Travel Pass Scheme which allows the Department to incur the expense of providing staff with an annual bus/rail pass, without the staff member being liable for benefit-in-kind taxation. This Scheme has been availed of by 259 staff in 2008,

encouraging staff to use public transport wherever possible for official travel,

making available, to the greatest possible extent, different working initiatives such as flexible working, e-working, work-sharing and term-time. These all support reduced travel and affect travel choice,

active promotion of sustainable travel through staff newsletters and notice boards.

While measures to encourage more sustainable travel patterns in the wider public service are largely a matter for the Department of Transport, I have recently made provision for the introduction of a carbon offsetting scheme for all ministerial and official air travel.

My Department also acts as national co-ordinator for European Mobility Week, which will run from 16-22 September 2008. In order to maximise participation by the public and relevant local authorities in the week, the Department recently met with national stakeholders such as the Department of Transport, Sustainable Energy Ireland, An Garda Síochána and representatives from the larger urban local authorities. All Government Departments and local authorities have been requested to participate actively in the week and a programme of activities will be supported by a limited awareness campaign at local and national level.