Press Release: SENATOR BACIK CALLS FOR INTRODUCTION OF ‘BIKE TO SCHOOL’ SCHEME

SENATOR BACIK CALLS FOR INTRODUCTION OF ‘BIKE TO SCHOOL’ SCHEME

Senator Ivana Bacik, Labour Leader, Seanad Spokesperson on Justice,
Monday 20th July, 2015

Speaking in the Seanad today, Senator Ivana Bacik called for the introduction of a new ‘Bike to School’ scheme. The idea for this scheme is that it would expand the very successful employee/employer Cycle to Work scheme, introduced in 2009, to enable employers to provide employees with tax-exempt bicycle/bicycle safety equipment for their school-age children.

Senator Bacik said:

“As a proposal for Budget 2016, I am calling for an extension of the very successful Cycle to Work Scheme, to be called the 'Bike to School' scheme, to enable employers to provide employees with tax-exempt bicycle/safety equipment for their school-age children. If that Revenue mechanism is not considered appropriate, then a different means of providing tax exemptions could be used, where the bicycles/equipment are purchased for children through schools.

“The health benefits of such a scheme are obvious. At a time when there is increasing concern about levels of childhood obesity in Ireland, the introduction of a positive measure like this, aimed at increasing the numbers of children cycling to school, could do a great deal to improve children's health generally. I am contacting the Ministers for Finance, Public Expenditure, Education and Transport today to ask that they would consider introducing such a scheme for Budget 2016.”