Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 520: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount his Department and its agencies spent on the use of taxis in 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22667/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Expenditure on taxis for my Department amounted to €69,016 in 2007 and €73,459 in 2008. The corresponding figure for expenditure on taxis to the end of May 2009 was €23,906. Details of expenditure on taxis by bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the bodies concerned. It is my Department's policy that public transport should be used wherever possible for travel in the course of official business. Accordingly, staff have been directed that taxis should only be hired where no suitable public transport is available and expenditure in this area is being closely monitored.

The Department also launched a Workplace Travel Plan in October 2008 to encourage greater use of sustainable transport options in the conduct of official business. The Plan aims to ensure that: use is made of public transport, to the greatest possible extent, in the course of official business; and walking/cycling to meetings within reasonable distance is encouraged and taxis are used only where absolutely necessary.