Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her Department's work place travel plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5849/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's policy document "Smarter Travel — A Sustainable Transport Future", which was launched by the Minister for Transport on 5 February 2009, recognises the role that Workplace Travel Plans can play in reducing car dependency and encouraging employees to use alternative modes of transport to travel to work.

At present, my Department operates a Travel Pass scheme which encourages staff to avail of public transport to travel to work. Under this scheme, which was introduced by the Department of Finance in 2001, an employee can forego part of his or her salary in lieu of the provision by my Department of an annual bus or rail pass. A particular attraction of the scheme for staff is that the employee is not liable to pay tax and PRSI on the cost of the travel pass provided by the employer.

In addition to continuing to operate the Travel Pass scheme, my Department will support the actions on Workplace Travel Plans which are to be developed under the Government's Smarter Travel policy.