Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the total amount spent on taxis by his Department since February 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37321/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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My Department has a contract with a taxi company to provide taxi services at a very competitive rate. I have set out below the information for the 18 month period requested by the Deputy, as it relates to that contract.

In addition to the expenditure incurred on the contracted taxi service, officials are reimbursed for taxi expenditure when the contracted service is not available. This reimbursement occurs through the travel and subsistence system and the data for the 18 month period in question is as follows:

The total of the two for the 18 month period in question is as follows:

While there is no specific allocation for taxi use in my Department, it is included in the overall travel budget, expenditure in this area is closely monitored to ensure it stays within expectations.

The following stipulations apply to the use of taxis:

Officials travelling within normal walking distance of their office base should not use a taxi service except in exceptional circumstances.

Other cheaper forms of public transport should be used when available.

Taxi should be shared when officials are attending the same meeting.

Meetings should be held in our buildings and / or video conference facilities used where possible.

Use of taxis is only permitted for official purposes.

My Department has also implemented an initiative that makes available a number of bicycles for use by officials in its two Dublin offices during office hours. Following a successful pilot phase in Adelaide Road, this voluntary initiative was extended to Beggars Bush. The reaction of staff to the initiative has proved very positive and all eight bicycles are in regular use. This has helped to significantly reduce the cost of taxis to the department since its inception in 2008. During that year taxi costs were €56,695 in 2009 they were €40,818 and in 2010 €34,678.