Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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297. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent by his Department on taxi and-or limousine fares in the past two years to date by year and amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35486/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department's policy for official taxi usage is to ensure the efficient and effective use of this resource and to ensure costs are kept to a minimum. In line with the Public Service Circular 11/1982: Travelling and Subsistence Regulations, all official travel must be by the shortest practicable routes and by the cheapest practicable mode of conveyance.

Taxi usage by Department officials is acceptable only when there is an unavoidable business need and are used in circumstances where public transport is not available or feasible.

The figures on the following table include taxi usage for official purposes in Ireland and abroad.

Please note expenditure figures shown in the table are in respect of all staff in the Department of Education & Skills including Ministerial posts and field officers in the Inspectorate and the National Educational Psychologist Service (NEPS). In addition the expenditure figures are in respect of payments made within each year as shown which may also include payments relating to a previous year.