Martin Kenny
Ceist:53. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on his Department's work on road safety, and his plans to tackle the continuing rise in road fatalities. [22230/24]
Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions
Road Safety
I want to get an update on the Department's work on road safety and the continued tragedy we have on our roads, with so many fatalities. Another man passed away last night after an incident in County Donegal. Too many families around the country are losing their loved ones and suffering the tragedies of road collisions and accidents. People are dealing with terrible injuries. We have been speaking in this House for a long time about issues regarding enforcement, technology and trying to get a grip of this but we seem to be making little progress.
I would like to express my sincere condolences to the friends and families of those who have lost their lives on our roads this year. As Minister of State with responsibility for road safety, I have been working with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, my officials, the transport agencies and across government to reverse the current trend and stop the level of fatalities on our roads.
The Government has set a target of halving road deaths and serious injuries by the end of this decade. As things stand, we are not on course to meet this target, and there are worrying indications in the research that driver behaviour has significantly worsened since the pandemic. Attitudes to drink-driving are becoming more permissive, drug-driving is on the rise and mobile phone use is a significant contributor to collisions.
As part of our response, I brought forward the Road Traffic Act 2024, which was signed into law by the President last month. This was priority legislation initiated late last year, and I would like to thank Members, including the Deputy, for their constructive input and helping the expeditious passing of the legislation. The Act seeks to bring about targeted and systemic change in three key areas linked to driver behaviour. First, in response to the increase in drug-driving, the Act introduces mandatory drug testing at the scene of a collision on the same basis as alcohol, rather than an optional test. Second, to help tackle the issue of excessive speed, the Act legislates for safer default speed limits on urban, national secondary and rural, local roads. Third, to enhance the deterrent effect of penalty points, the Act ensures that drivers committing multiple penalty point offences will receive multiple penalty points.
We are all working, in the Department and with the road safety partner agencies and local authorities, towards the wider implementation of these provisions and other important actions in the Government's road safety strategy.
I thank the Minister of State. I am aware of that legislation and its passage. I would like clarity regarding the regulations for local authorities. I understand that local authorities will have a major role here, particularly in working out what speed limits are appropriate for particular stretches of road. Many of them are too high and need to come down but many of them may be quite appropriate. It is a sort of a one-size-fits-all Act. That is understandable in one sense but it is not understandable when we get to the practical reality on the ground. Members of our local authorities, who face an election in the next couple of weeks, need to have the power to regulate that and make sure it works out.
I also want to bring the Minister of State's attention to the GoSafe vans, which are somewhat of a privatisation of our policing service. However, they have a role to play. At yesterday's transport committee meeting, Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman informed us that GoSafe vans have the ability to pick up people who are not using their seat belts, who are using mobile phones and so on, but they cannot use this particular technology because the Departments of Transport and Justice have not yet provided a legal basis to do so. While legislation is happening on one side, in terms of things that actually can make a difference we have massive delays in implementation. When can the legislation be in place to ensure the camera systems that are installed will detect very dangerous behaviour and distracted driving, particularly use of mobile phones and non-wearing of seat belts?
On speed limits, there has been notification to local authorities of the legislative changes. Guidance is being finalised and will be issued to local authorities in the coming weeks. As new councillors are elected, that will commence quickly with a view to getting the wider implementation of the speed limits. As the Deputy said, it is about local authorities and councillors working together in the context of the legislation and the guidance, but also using their reserved function relating to local roads. We have previously engaged on that. It is about ensuring that we have a safer default baseline. Councils will then examine each road on an individual basis. That is how the speed limit process will work in respect of local authorities.
A camera-based enforcement strategy group was established in the context of the wider use of camera technology. We are working with An Garda Síochána and the other transport agencies on the wider strategy that is required but also any further legislative changes that may be required in the context of additional levels of enforcement. That work is continuing.
That is okay, but I did not hear from the Minister of State as to when the legislation will be implemented to ensure that the capabilities of these cameras can actually be used for something that will make a big difference. We hope to tease that out further in the future.
The Minister recently informed the media that red light cameras, for motorists who run red lights, will be up and going but now we understand they will be only be deployed in two locations in Dublin. They were piloted in 2015. Again, this is due to a failure to provide a legal basis for their use. I would like to understand why we are always trying to catch up to technology rather than having the legal provisions in place to ensure it can be used properly in a way that will work. We also have a similar issue in respect of the GDPR, which is preventing the RSA from sharing collision data with local engineers and local authorities when they are planning to put safety measures in place. What progress has been made on ensuring that those two issues will be dealt with quickly? We are in an emergency situation here. We have hundreds of people being killed and injured on our roads and we need to get grips of this issue. If we do not do it, more and more families are going to be tragically affected by all of this.
Section 81 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 provides for the use of cameras by the Garda to assist in the detection of certain offences. The powers have been used by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, working with the Garda. It is open to road authorities to use these powers on a similar basis for other offences. As part of our wider camera-based enforcement strategy, we want to have many more locations in urban and other areas. In particular, given our investment in public transport infrastructure, we want to ensure there is much greater compliance for public transport but also for those who are constantly breaching the law when it comes to bus lanes and other breaches of our road traffic legislation.
On the collision data, significant road safety interventions continue to be funded by the Department with key agencies.
There is ongoing engagement with and a submission being made to the Data Protection Commissioner to ensure we can find progress on the data issues the Deputy referred to. We are committed to addressing these obstacles and we are working with An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority, RSA, to ensure there is compliance in the context of the GDPR issues highlighted.
Again, it is wait and see. We really need to see progress being made on all these issues and we have not.
The Deputy has had his last slot to respond to this question. We are moving on to the next question.
Go raibh maith agat.
Airport Policy
Martin Kenny
Ceist:54. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport the status of his Department’s plans for upgrading the transport infrastructure around Dublin Airport and its environs. [22231/24]
Will the Minister outline his plans for upgrading the transport infrastructure around Dublin Airport and its environs? We see a situation there, unfortunately, where we are entering the summer period when the airport will get busier and there are very few options for people to come and go from there. There is no rail infrastructure linking to it. There are buses, which are very often congested and crowded. There is also a parking issue at the airport due to the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, being unable to purchase the car park that has been sitting idle for several years. I would like the Minister to comment on this issue.
As the Deputy will be aware, the national planning framework calls for enhanced land-side access to Dublin Airport, particularly in public transport terms. I also note that the local authority’s local area plan for the airport requires that any planning application to increase passenger numbers at the airport must clearly demonstrate the transport infrastructure and measures required to accommodate any proposed increase.
The Deputy will be aware that An Bord Pleanála recently concluded its oral hearing into MetroLink, which is going to be a transformational project not just for Dublin Airport but, more importantly, for the wider Fingal area generally. It will provide a new high-capacity public transport corridor from Swords to the city centre via the airport and its delivery is something I know all sides of the House are keen to see.
In the shorter term, I am pleased the NTA is currently in the process of introducing significant improvements to the public transport offering at Dublin Airport as part of the continued roll-out of the BusConnects network redesign project. These improvements will see new and enhanced services introduced from September this year and continuing throughout next year as well, improving connections between the airport and all parts of Dublin, north, south, east, west and the city centre. This will build on the 1,000-plus buses that depart the airport daily serving passengers in Dublin and throughout the country. These service improvements will be accompanied by infrastructure improvements as well through the planned Swords core bus corridor. I am pleased that we are starting to see planning decisions emerge from An Bord Pleanála regarding BusConnects corridors and I look forward to a similar decision relating to Swords.
Responsibilities for the ongoing development of the road network are a function of the local authority in respect of regional and local roads and of TII in respect of the national road network. The local area plan has several medium- and longer-term proposals in that regard.
The Minister referred to increased capabilities and capacities and that these will be in place by September. The summer will be the busiest period. We all acknowledge and understand this fact. Last year, there were extensive delays and many problems for people coming and going from the airport, and I think the Minister will acknowledge this himself. The issue with car parking needs to be dealt with. As I said, a car park has been sitting idle for several years. I think it closed before the Covid-19 pandemic. The DAA has attempted to purchase the car park but this has fallen foul of the competition authorities and cannot go ahead. We find, therefore, that the car park is still lying empty. I ask that the Minister intervene and ensure that either the DAA or one of the private parking providers will be able to lease this facility at least for the summer period to ensure the pressure is taken off car parking at the airport. I acknowledge that the Minister's intention is to have fewer people driving to the airport and to have public transport in place, but it is not in place for very many people. I know of instances where people tried to get the bus to the airport but the buses coming from rural areas were full. People have had serious issues trying to get public transport the airport.
There has been a significant increase in public transport. As I said, 1,000 buses a day are going to and from the airport. This is a 10% increase on the bus services available last year. As the Deputy said, we have further bus improvements planned. There has also been a 20% increase in the number of taxi permits operating at the airport. The vast majority of passengers using taxis are able to get one within ten minutes. There are 23,000 car parking spaces at Dublin Airport. The Deputy is correct, though, that there are times, especially in the summer, when Dublin Airport advises passengers to book in advance because capacity is limited. We clearly need people to switch to public transport for the better operation of the airport and, with these improved public transport options, a better experience for passengers. I must be careful, though. It might be easy to say, "Well, wave your wand and go in and take on a commercial operation", but the competition authority has ruled in this regard concerning the one car park that was for sale. We must be careful not to intervene in a separate legal process. This will make its own way through the appropriate planning system. I believe the long-term future for Dublin Airport, which is important, is best served through the major enhancement of public transport, which is what we are doing.
I appreciate that and we all understand that is the intention and where we need to be going. The Minister, though, spoke of snapping fingers or having a magic wand. Clearly, the Minister cannot snap his fingers, wave a magic wand and improve public transport overnight. I understand this point. In the meantime, though, a car park with capacity for 5,000 cars has been sitting there empty for four years. It needs to be recognised that in the absence of alternatives, car parking spaces need to be provided to allow people to be able to use the airport. This is one of the critical problems we have. I understand the car park has been for sale. What I am asking is that the Government and everyone would get around the table and come up with a solution to ensure that at least the car park will be able to be used by somebody and that some provider will be able to provide car parking spaces for people to use at the airport. We do not want to see a situation like the one we had last year.
The Minister also mentioned buses. I have dealt with issues concerning buses, and I am sure Deputies from every rural area would tell him the same, where those going to the airport from different pats of the country have been full to capacity when people have gone to get them. Recently, I had an incident that a man in Ballyshannon contacted me about. Two elderly people were intending to get on the bus but they did not know that they needed to book seats on the bus in advance and that they had to go online to do so. They arrived at the bus stop with their baggage and were then unable to get on the bus. This man then had to put them in his van and drive them to the airport. We need to find a solution to this problem and ensure that Bus Éireann makes it very clear to people that if they want to get the bus to the airport, they need to book it in advance and that if it is full the company will put additional capacity in place because it is not doing this either.
I thank the Deputy. The last word goes to the Minister.
Significant bus enhancements are coming. The first we want to see is the planning decision on the Swords bus corridor. As soon as that is delivered, we will go into the process of implementing the BusConnects programme. A series of new services are planned that will come in with that initiation. These include the L81, L83 and L85 services, which are planned to serve the airport and go through Swords to Sutton, Portrane and Balbriggan. This September, we will have a new service going from Parnell Square via Ballymun and Drumcondra. This will be route 19 to the airport. Similarly, and again commencing this September, in some four months, a new route 24 airport service will leave from Merrion Square. Significant bus enhancements, therefore, have been approved for Dublin Airport. The 1,000 buses going to the airport daily have proved extremely successful. The Deputy is correct that these services are of major benefit, especially for longer-distance commuters. There are instances, though, where people are not able to get a seat and I absolutely do recognise this is a significant issue. Those are commercial operations and are not operated by the NTA. It is not a public service obligation so we do not have full control over the nature and management of the services. However, i expect to see, and we will facilitate and support in every way we can, such bus access to the airport pending the arrival of the metro and other services.
Rail Network
Marian Harkin
Ceist:55. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Transport when the all-island strategic rail review will be published; in particular, the plans and timetable on the western rail corridor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22048/24]
When will the all-island strategic rail review be published? Specifically, I am asking about the planned timetable for the western rail corridor. I am asking this because what we have now is some kind of competition locally between the western rail corridor, on one side, and the Sligo greenway on the other. There should be no competition. We should know what the Government's plans are in this regard. Can the Minister please let us know?
As I am sure the Deputy will be aware, the all-island strategic rail review has been undertaken by my Department in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The review will inform the development of rail on the island of Ireland in the coming decades to 2050, in line with net-zero carbon targets in both jurisdictions. Work on the review is now at an advanced stage and a draft report was published for a strategic environmental assessment, SEA, public consultation in July of last year.
The draft report makes 30 recommendations for the rail system across the island out to 2050.
Implementation of these recommendations will result in substantial improvements in the capacity, speed, frequency and reach of the rail system. Journey times by rail will be much reduced and frequency will increase to at least hourly between cities and every two hours on rural and regional routes. The network would be decarbonised including the development and revival of rail freight on the existing network, and also involving the electrification of the intercity routes. There would be the rehabilitation of disused lines, as well as new lines to the north midlands and north west, increasing the size of the rail network, widening accessibility and connectivity through rail.
As part of the draft review, work on reopening the section of the western rail corridor between Athenry and Claremorris is considered and is due to start before the end of this decade. All of this would at least double the market share of rail and enable it to be a stronger backbone of a sustainable public transport system for the people of Ireland.
The public consultation phase of the SEA process concluded on 29 September last year and submissions have been reviewed by officials from both jurisdictions. It is expected that a final review, taking account of the comments raised in the consultation, will be submitted for government approval in both jurisdictions shortly and that the final review report will be published immediately thereafter. I expect that to be concluded before summer recess here. We will co-ordinate with our colleagues in Northern Ireland in that regard. However, my intention is to publish and approve it as soon as possible and then to start the delivery process.
I thank the Minister. I have a long list of questions and replies going back to September 2021. It is nearly three years ago since he told me that the review was scheduled to be completed within 12 months. In November and December 2021, and October 2022, he told us that the review would be published shortly. This is going on for more than three years. I know there was a short delay because of what was happening in Northern Ireland but that is no excuse.
There is huge uncertainty about what is happening with the western rail corridor. The Minister mentioned Athenry. Is that the plan? Will he give us an indication of what may be in this rail review? Is it proposed to go further than Athenry? As I said there is a competition, which is crazy, between the possibility of building the rail corridor and greenways. We need to get that sorted. I want the Minister’s view on the Sligo greenway.
It was not a short delay due to the absence of the administration in Northern Ireland. I wish it had been short but it took a long time.
Three years?
Well, for the guts of two years the Assembly was not in place and the administration in the North was not in place.
So it is their fault, okay.
No, but that is just the reality. The reopening of the western rail corridor is of vital strategic importance for the national planning framework and better balanced regional development in our country. It should include the section between Athenry and Claremorris. It does not propose an extension to Sligo. However, the reopening from Athenry to Claremorris is of huge benefit because effectively it creates a western rail corridor running all the way from Ballina right down the west coast down to the south east. It would require the reopening of the Rosslare line as well. That gives us the capability of reviving rail freight, which is going to be critical for the development of the west, and also meet our decarbonisation targets. That is contended. Some people argue against that and do not believe it is economically viable and hold that it does not have a future. I believe it does. We need to make a decision quickly.
I have commissioned the European Investment Bank to advise us on the ordering and the priority that we would apply to the many, various projects set out in the strategic rail review. That work has started. As soon as the review is published, it will help us to start making investment decisions that favour the west, favour decarbonisation and the revival of rail freight, which would also then allow passenger services to follow. That will be a political decision. Other political parties have different views on that possibility and that should be the centre of our discussions because it will be the allocation of funding and the timing of the projects that will be key. The western rail corridor should be given first and top priority.
I am delighted to hear it. I have not heard any political party or any politician argue against it.
The Minister is talking about bringing it as far as Claremorris but then says nothing more after that. I am trying to clarify, in this rail review and Government plans, whether that is as far as it will go. There is an argument locally about the Sligo greenway and whether that should go ahead. Iarnród Éireann said that if a greenway is built, and it is now at the end of stage 2, it will be built under licence and if at any time in the future it is to be used as a rail line, that would immediately revert to Iarnród Éireann. We do not want to miss the opportunity of building the greenway with some sort of never-never promise of a rail link coming to Sligo. I want clarity from the Government on this matter.
I have been clear in my position for the past two years and particularly since the publication of the review. It does not include the extension of the rail corridor from Claremorris north east towards Sligo. That makes a strong case for the use of that line as a greenway, as the Deputy suggested, and the benefit of that is we would be able to hold a line so that, if at some future date it was needed as part of this rail revival, the line would be in place. We should be looking at the use of such a line as a greenway. It is not going to be included in the plan as a railway line and therefore that makes sense.
I said there are different views. The revival of rail freight, and considering the western rail corridor in that context, unlocks it economically and also allows us to put passenger services after that. The economics of that decision and the viability of the revival of rail freight is very contested. We need a public debate on that.
Nobody in the west is arguing.
There are indeed different voices in that regard. That will need to be clarified in the coming months when we come to priority decisions around whether we make this strategic leap towards supporting the west and supporting rail freight.