Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Finance the full cost to the Office of Public Works of providing a bus to carry OPW staff from Dublin Castle to the new OPW office in Trim since April 2010 to date; all costs associated with the four times daily trips to Trim; the number of buses used daily; the number of passengers carried; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43987/10]

Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)
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In the absence, until recently, of a public transport service from Dublin to Trim at a time that would allow staff to attend for work at the normal time of starting work in the morning, transport was provided by OPW for this purpose, for those who required it, using an OPW owned transport vehicle, and OPW employed drivers. The vehicle was also used for delivering post and other materials between Dublin and Trim, and for conveying staff from one location to the other for the purpose of business meetings. Now that a public transport service is in place for the times required for normal attendance hours, since 12 November 2010, the OPW vehicle is no longer used for this purpose.

A single vehicle was used with a maximum capacity of 16 persons. While it was in operation, the average usage was 12 to 14 persons per trip. The additional marginal total cost, over and above drivers salary, which is a cost that would have been incurred in any event, for the relevant period of April 2010 to November 2010, amounted to €13,000 approximately. This amount covers fuel costs and supplemental drivers time but not insurance as the State carries its own insurance in such circumstances.