Dept of Education - Cycle to work scheme

rubs

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone had experience with the Dept of Education and the "cycle to work scheme" for this year. They stopped it last year on Dec 15th or so and , to be the best of my knowledge, they have not started again this year..

Has anybody a different experience??

Thanks in advance:)

Thekingofhearts

The dep of edu are the biggest piss takers of all time. It took them a year to come on board. Where as the likes of other departments did straight away. Alot of people have started to pay for there bikes before the shops were even paid. A jole

Beasty

Did they give any reasons for withdrawing from the scheme last year (or indication that they may resurrect the schme in the future)?

(I wouldn't expect an employer to withdraw from the scheme with the intention of starting again at a future date, unless there was a particular issue they were trying to iron out)

Cabaal

Beasty wrote: »

(I wouldn't expect an employer to withdraw from the scheme with the intention of starting again at a future date, unless there was a particular issue they were trying to iron out)

Agreed, if they've withdrawn they hardly have any intention of starting it again, makes no sense

mike12

Hi,
Is it because they don't pay any Company PRSI so it is no benefit to them.
Mike

Lumen

mike12 wrote: »

Is it because they don't pay any Company PRSI so it is no benefit to them.

It's employer PRSI, not company PRSI.

GusherING

The scheme hasn't been withdrawn. See the reply to a parliamentary question that was asked in the Dáil by Ruairi Quinn TD.

Uimhir:422

Ceist Pharlaiminte


Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha
To the Minister for Education and Science

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the reason there is
only a two week period when secondary school teachers can apply to her
Department for the cycle to work tax relief scheme; if she will instruct her
officials to extend the period for applications; and if she will make a
statement on the matter.
- Ruairí Quinn.



* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 30th March, 2010.
Reference Number: 13726/10

Freagra


Minister Mary Coughlan

The Cycle to Work Scheme was introduced for teachers in September 2009 when the
terms of the scheme were outlined in Circular 54/2009. The Circular provides
that applications for the scheme are to be forwarded to my Department not later
than the 15th December. The deductions from salary are made during the
following calendar year as outlined in the Circular.

Therefore in 2009 all teachers had in excess of a period of two months within
which to apply for the scheme in order to avail of it in 2010. Teachers
currently have until 15th December 2010 to apply for the scheme for the
calendar year 2011. The period for applications is not limited to two weeks,
applications can be made at any time during the year under the terms of the
Circular once they are received by the deadline of 15th December.

mike12

Lumen wrote: »

It's employer PRSI, not company PRSI.

Company PRSI is also an acceptable term.

Lumen

mike12 wrote: »

Company PRSI is also an acceptable term.

No it isn't, as it implies that employers which are not companies do not have to pay it!

mike12

Lumen wrote: »

No it isn't, as it implies that employers which are not companies do not have to pay it!

Sorry it must be just the company i work for calls it company PRSI.

rubs

GusherING wrote: »

The scheme hasn't been withdrawn. See the reply to a parliamentary question that was asked in the Dáil by Ruairi Quinn TD.

Yeah thats my problem....I don`t think they have got it up and running since this date for this year....has anyone been successful this year in availing of the grant ...after the Dec date
??

Beasty

rubs wrote: »

Yeah thats my problem....I don`t think they have got it up and running since this date for this year....has anyone been successful this year in availing of the grant ...after the Dec date
??

Based on GusherING's post above, it makes no difference whether you apply now or leave it until 15 December 2010 - it will still only be applied in January next year

fionafifi

Hey guys, hopefully getting a bike tomo. I'm a primary school teacher and how do I go about getting it on the scheme?

Rowley Birkin QC

Just wondering aswell if anyone has had any problems buying a bike for someone else using their own bike2work entitlement?

Beasty

Rowley Birkin QC wrote: »

Just wondering aswell if anyone has had any problems buying a bike for someone else using their own bike2work entitlement?

I would hope a QC would understand this is completely illegal;)

More details are in the cycling wiki

To summarise

The company buys the bike, and sells it to the employee, normally under salary sacrifice arrangements

The employee must intend to use the bike mainly for commuting to work. If he/she intends to sell it to someone else, this condition is not satisfied

If someone intends using the bike for commuting, but once it is bought changes their mind, this is fine

Beasty

fionafifi wrote: »

Hey guys, hopefully getting a bike tomo. I'm a primary school teacher and how do I go about getting it on the scheme?

If you look at the previous posts in this thread, and in particular the one by GusherING, it would appear that for teachers the scheme is effectively run on an annual basis. You elect to join the scheme by 15 December, then the payments are taken from your salary from January to December the following year. Presumably the bike is delivered early in the following year

Hence it doesn't matter whether you apply now, or on 15 December - you will still have to wait until next January for the bike

This seems absurd to me - it would make much more sense (if they want to use an annual scheme like this, and most employers don't do this) to make the bikes available around this time of year when the weather is starting to improve

monument

The Department has increased the time period, see here.

The new circular is attached here (Word doc).

taisteal

I rang the DOE today to inquire about the process of application for the scheme. (education.ie seems to be down.) I cannot get over the incompetency of the lady on the phone. She hadn't a clue. She didn't seem to know about the application process. Her phone manner was shocking as well. It seems the DOE are like Revenue on the phone. Despicable phone manner and lack of interest in helping the caller. They also don't say who they are. Very unprofessional

Cabaal

taisteal wrote: »

Her phone manner was shocking as well. It seems the DOE are like Revenue on the phone. Despicable phone manner and lack of interest in helping the caller. They also don't say who they are. Very unprofessional

Its easy to be that way when you affectively can't be fired unless you murder somebody :mad:

monument

taisteal wrote: »

I rang the DOE today to inquire about the process of application for the scheme. (education.ie seems to be down.) I cannot get over the incompetency of the lady on the phone. She hadn't a clue. She didn't seem to know about the application process. Her phone manner was shocking as well. It seems the DOE are like Revenue on the phone. Despicable phone manner and lack of interest in helping the caller. They also don't say who they are. Very unprofessional

You can find the circular by clicking on the text "new circular is attached here" in my last post -- and it's hosted by my site, not education.ie, so you should be able to download it.

SerialComplaint

taisteal wrote: »

I rang the DOE today to inquire about the process of application for the scheme. (education.ie seems to be down.) I cannot get over the incompetency of the lady on the phone. She hadn't a clue. She didn't seem to know about the application process. Her phone manner was shocking as well. It seems the DOE are like Revenue on the phone. Despicable phone manner and lack of interest in helping the caller. They also don't say who they are. Very unprofessional

Have to say that your experience is absolutely the opposite of my experience with Revenue, who generally have a very good customer service ethos.

You really should submit a formal complaint about her behaviour - nothing will change unless people like you are prepared to go on the record with these complaints. See http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/cs_comments_complaints.pdf?language=EN for complaints procedure and form.

slickmcvic

...I got my bike through the scheme in early June after applying in the last week of May...found the process very straight foward largely due to applying through my VEC!.....heard shortly afterwards though they scrapped the scheme,but only for teachers!
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0707/bikes.html

Masala

Would anyone know if the Scheme will continue for 2012???