The cost of administering the taxi hardship payments scheme to 31 October 2004 was €580,564. In addition to staff salary costs, this figure includes set-up costs in the region of €92,000 and incorporates all advertising, printing, postage and application form distribution costs necessitated by the scheme to that date.
As indicated in my reply to Question No. 210 of 16 November 2004, Area Development Management Limited, which manages and administers the scheme on behalf of the Department of Transport, operates as a not for profit organisation and has to directly recoup all the costs it incurs in administering schemes or projects on behalf of the State. In this regard, only actual costs incurred are charged against administration funding.