Written Answers Nos. 229-232
230. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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. [21045/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Cycle to Work scheme, as administered by the Revenue Commissioners, represents the clearest initiative targeted at facilitation of employees to use active travel to commute to work.
My Department has been an active participant in the Cycle to Work Scheme since its inception in 2009. This tax incentive scheme allows employers to purchase bicycles on behalf of employees and recoup the cost from the employee through salary deductions that are free of tax. In the period since the start of 2019, a total of 252 applications by staff members in the Department were made.
On 1 August 2020, as part of the Government's July Jobs Stimulus Plan 2020, the qualifying exemption limits were raised from €1,000 to €1,250 for a standard bicycle and €1,500 for an electric bicycle. This measure has resulted in increased application levels among staff in my Department, with scheme applications to date in 2021 at treble the rate for the equivalent period in both 2019 and 2020.
The matter of promotion of the use of active travel for the work commute by employees of State Bodies is an operational matter for the bodies themselves. I have referred this query to the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department and have asked that they respond directly on the matter.
231. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the locations and number by county of the eHubs for remote working to be developed referred to in the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 - Our Rural Future; the person or body that will develop these facilities; the timeline for delivery of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20945/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe increased shift to remote working as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has given us the opportunity for a greater regional distribution of jobs and to support a better quality of life for many people who previously spent many hours in long commutes.
Remote working has the potential to transform rural Ireland, allowing people to build careers in good quality jobs while continuing to live closer to home, and to generate increased economic activity in our rural towns.
Building on an initiative by the Western Development Commission in developing a network of remote working and co-working hubs along the western seaboard, an Inter-Departmental Working Group, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department, was established last October to oversee the development of a National Hub Network. The first phase of the Group’s work is to identify, map, survey and classify the various remote working facilities available throughout the country. Over 400 hubs have provisionally been identified, with the mapping and surveying of these hubs ongoing. The first iteration of this map will be published in the coming weeks.
This data-gathering work has identified an ecosystem of hubs operating across the country that is varied in terms of location, capacity and client base. These hubs are also diverse in their ownership models, running a wide range from directly state-owned, to private-for-profit, to social enterprises. My Department, supported by the Western Development Commission and the other members of the Inter-Departmental Group, are now engaged in the establishment of an integrated network of these remote working facilities with shared back-office services and a common booking engine for hub users. I expect to be in a position to outline the results of this work over the course of the year.
In addition to the supports and tools being developed under the National Hub Network programme, I have allocated €5 million to fund a Connected Hubs Call under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme this year. This initiative will provide funding to support small scale capital works in existing hubs and Broadband Connection Points.
My Department also continues to invest significantly in the provision of new Hub facilities across the country. Only this week, I announced €75million for 24 landmark projects under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. Many of the successful projects involve the regeneration of historic town centre buildings as Enterprise and Co-Working Hubs.
232. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way in which her Department and agencies under her remit encourage and facilitate employees to use active travel to commute to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21058/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Rural and Community Development has two office locations, one in Dublin and one in Mayo. Employees are encouraged to cycle to work where possible. To help facilitate this, there are bike racks in each office as well as showers available for staff who choose an active commute to work. My Department promotes the tax incentivised Cycle to Work scheme, which aims to encourage staff to cycle to and from work.
The Department also has a health and wellbeing programme whereby staff are encouraged to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. A range of initiatives have been led out on by the Human Resources unit, including the Department's Step Challenge and lunch-time mile which encouraged staff to embrace physical activity as a means to contribute to the enjoyment of significant health and environmental benefits.
The majority of my Department’s staff are currently working from home, following Government restrictions in relation to Covid-19. Before these arrangements were put in place Dublin based staff availed of the “Tax Saver Commuter Ticket Scheme” and will be able to avail of this facility again, upon a return to the office.
The table below outlines how the Departments four agencies under its remit encourage and facilitate employees to use active travel to commute to work:
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Charities Regulator |
The Charities Regulator takes part in the Cycle to Work Scheme and provides showers and bike racks for staff who choose an active commute. |
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Western Development Commission |
The WDC actively encourages employees to walk or cycle to work where possible and has opened offices in Galway and Sligo as well as Ballaghaderreen to facilitate local access for employees and to improve delivery to the citizen. The WDC actively promote the Cycle to Work scheme to staff. |
|
Water Safety Ireland |
Water Safety Ireland also take part in the Cycle to Work Scheme. They are currently examining ways to develop their facilities to further encourage active commuting. |
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Pobal |
Pobal was an early adopter of the Cycle To Work Scheme and staff have been availing of this benefit for many years for making qualifying journeys to/from work. Pobal provides designated bicycle parking and shower facilities in most offices. Staff may also avail of the “Tax Saver Commuter Ticket Scheme” to use public transport and many staff combine public transport and active travel as part of their daily commutes. |
