[Article] New 'cycle to work' scheme gets just one query

IIMII

Irish Independent, Monday March 02 2009

THE Department of Finance has received only one query regarding its cycle-to-work scheme announced in the Budget last year.
The bike scheme, which was heralded as an important green initiative in the emergency October budget, encourages employers to cover the cost of a bicycle up to €1,000. Employers can then claim the cost as a tax-exempt benefit-in-kind, while employees who buy the bike themselves can save tax, PRSI and levies.
With the Department of Finance still finalising the scheme, only one query from a company has been received, and that was from a bicycle supplier.
However, the Green Party's Ciaran Cuffe insisted that there was "huge interest" in the scheme and that hundreds of enquiries had been submitted via the Green Party's 'Bike Scheme' website.
"I think it shows that government and the Department of Finance, in particular, need to be more proactive in promoting this scheme. Maybe, we're dragging interested parties to our own website," he said.
A spokesman for the Department of Finance also stressed that the Government Supplies Agency is currently drafting a tender document with the intention of setting up a countrywide framework of suppliers of bicycles and safety equipment to service this scheme.
When this framework is in place they will then issue a circular setting out how the framework is to be operated. It is envisaged that this framework should be in place before the end of April.
Tokenistic
The Labour Party's Joanna Tuffy labelled the scheme as "tokenistic" and a "cosmetic exercise" by the Greens.
"Really, where the Greens should have put their foot down was over Dublin Bus if they're determined to get people out of their cars and onto public transport. Things like the bike scheme are tokenistic and the fact that there's only been one query shows there's no race to it," she said.
"If the Greens were to concentrate on anywhere, it should be the buses ... they really should have put their foot down on the proposals to cut down on buses. That bike grant is cosmetic in itself. The more you can do to encourage people to cycle, the better, but you really have to put in place other conditions to get more cars off the road first and put people in buses."
More bicycles are stolen in a month than will be provided for in an entire year under the bicycle scheme, said Labour.
- AINE KERR

Jumpy

Once again I sit back and laugh at these absolute fumblers.

Our company has decided its too difficult with not enough information available it looks like.

loyatemu

theres plenty of information available on www.bikescheme.ie and http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/bike2work.asp?gclid=COP6m6_6iJkCFYM_3godcjiumQ

the "only 1 query" reply sounds like the Dept of Finance being disingenuous. I think its a good idea, its not going to solve Dublin's traffic problems, and a lot more needs to be done to encourage cycling, but its a good start.

Trampas

Its been offered where I work

paulm17781

A couple of people in work have been inquiring (to the company) about it.

It's a pity there's nothing to encourage people, with bikes, to cycle.

crocro

It's been offered where I work. What's not to understand? Tax relief when you buy a new bike up to 1K.

I ring the revenue when I have a tax query not the dept of finance.

This is a typical indo story aimed anyone thick enough to buy their paper.

SHAME OF BIKE FLOP SHOCKER!

markpb

It took my company over a year of asking before they started offering the travel tickets and even then, only the monthly ones. I can't imagine they'll bother with this.

manc

Eamon Ryan (i think) was on The Last Word a couple of days ago and the 1 enquiry was the only one from a bike supplier. There have been hundred/thousands from regular people. Also interesting to note a lot of Govt departments have not signed up to it.


More quality and accurate journalism from the papers.


Notice how reports yesterday/today on the decrease in enery bills don't compare like with like i.e. report Bord Gais as 10% (without DD extra 2% and already BG customer extra 2%) and Airticity as 13% (with DD, ebill and levelpayment plan)

MOH

It's been offered where I work too, with full details. Great reporting, not.

mickoneill30

Normally you'd get lots of enquiries if the information was hard to understand or not readily available. It doesn't seem so in this case. What do they want us to do.

"Hi, Revenue. I've read the website and understand what needs to be done. I just thought I'd ring you to ask you questions as I've nothing else to do"

The Indo is a crap paper anyway.

Polar101

My employer has told me they will be offering this as well. I guess I should have sent a postcard to the department of finance too. What a rubbish article.

Bunnyhopper

I agree with the comments about this being a bit of fluffy reporting.

What's more annoying is that Labour are being so unconstructively critical about cycling.

The whole article reads like the minutes of an idiot convention.