The Cycle-to-Work scheme was launched by the Government in 2009 to encourage the use of bicycles to travel to and from work. The scheme allows for a civil or public service employer to incur the expense of providing an officer with a bicycle and bicycle safety equipment up to a limit of €1,000, without the officer being liable for benefit-in-kind taxation. Under a salary sacrifice arrangement, a staff member agrees to forego or sacrifice part of salary every pay period (weekly/fortnightly), in order to cover the cost of the bike and equipment provided. The salary sacrifice arrangement must be completed within a maximum period of twelve months. The tax exemption can only be availed of once in any five year period.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department was established in 2011. The Cycle-to-Work scheme has operated there since 2013 and the information requested is provided as follows:
Year
|
No. of applications
|
Cost
|
2013
|
2
|
€1,999.00
|
2014
|
5
|
€3,842.99
|
2015
|
8
|
€5,520.69
|
2016
|
7
|
€6,341.51
|
2017
|
4
|
€3,403.95
|
2018
|
10
|
€8,075.03
|
2019
|
7
|
€5,293.00
|
2020
|
5
|
€4,924.48
|
Total
|
48
|
€39,400.65
|