Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total amount spent on taxis by his Department since February 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37326/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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My Department is responsible for two Votes: Vote 28 Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Vote 27 International Cooperation. The amount expended by my Department on official taxi fares under both Votes since 1 February 2011 to date is set out below in tabular form.

These figures include official taxi travel costs incurred at both Headquarters and Missions overseas.

My Department’s taxi policy, in line with guidelines on official travel prescribed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, follows the principle that taxi use by officers on official business should take place only when absolutely necessary and when public transport is not available or it is not feasible to use it. Given the particular nature of the Department’s work, officers at Headquarters and Missions abroad are frequently required to travel and work outside of normal office hours in order to perform their duties effectively. This will often involve early morning and late night travel at times when public transport is not available or feasible. In addition, some officials posted abroad operate in environments where other forms of public transport are unsuitable, unavailable or unsafe.

My Department makes every effort to minimise expenditure, including by strict enforcement of usage policy and the use of competitive procurement for ongoing headquarters requirements. Taxi costs in my Department have shown a consistent pattern of reduction from €453,000 in 2008 to €233,000 in 2011, a reduction of 48%.