Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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171. To ask the Minister for Defence the way his Departmental contracts for taxi companies for the purposes of taxis for the use of Departmental staff are decided and allocated; if there is a public tender process for taxi companies wishing to apply for these contracts; the process for allocating the contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4641/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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There are no contracts in place for the provision of taxi services to my Department.

Where travel is deemed necessary for business purposes, staff of my Department are required to use public transport wherever possible, in accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines.

My Department is fully decentralised since 2010. It operates a taxi account through National Radio Cabs and City Cabs for use by staff of my Department, where required, when they are in Dublin for business purposes.

Every effort is made to minimise expenditure on official travel, including on taxis, by managing the location and frequency of meetings and by the use of video conference technology.