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Transport Policy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 April 2021

Thursday, 22 April 2021

Questions (8)

Holly Cairns

Question:

8. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way in which his Department and agencies under his remit encourage and facilitate employees to use active travel to commute to work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21049/21]

View answer

Written answers

Notwithstanding the current public health advice for staff to continue to work from home at this time, my Department and its Offices, has a number of initiatives to promote staff wellbeing and our internal Green agenda, both areas which can involve using active travel as part of any commute to and from work for staff, depending on their circumstances.

In Spring 2020, the Department launched its Wellbeing Framework for staff which involves a series of measures spanning physical fitness, mental fitness, diet and nutrition and social connectivity. Clearly due to COVID-19 restrictions, implementation of the ambition in this Framework had to be pivoted to be delivered in an almost fully remote working environment providing a range of information through the internal intranet, Webinars including guest speakers that have focused on the importance of physical activity, including, where possible, incorporating that as part of staff’s daily routine including any commute to/from the office.

In June last year as part of our “Green Week” staff were encouraged to do a collective “Tour d’Irlande” with the distances cycled by staff, be it as part of their commute as an essential worker, or as part of their own physical activity on a daily basis, combined cumulatively to demonstrate the reduction of the staff’s carbon footprint.

The Department is also a participant in the Government’s “Bike to Work” scheme since its introduction in 2009 which encourages staff to cycle to work. There is no cost incurred to the Department’s vote in participating in this scheme and the bicycles and any related equipment which qualify under the Scheme are paid for by staff themselves by way of salary sacrifice spread over a single year.

The Department is also in the process of upgrading the basement area of its headquarters in Kildare Street to provide additional space for bicycles. We have also enhanced the shower facilities and will be doing more to upgrade facilities across our buildings, for staff who wish to walk, run or cycle to/from the office as part of their daily commute.  

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