The Minister is as welcome as ever.
Transport, Tourism and Sport: Statements
It is a pleasure to be back in the Seanad. As Senators will know, my portfolio is large and varied and I look forward to setting out the key issues facing the three sectors under my remit, namely, transport, tourism and sport. I expect no indulgence, anticipate a lively and interesting exchange of views and look forward to hearing Senators' views and comments.
As Members will be aware, there have been some recent challenges in all three sectors - industrial unrest in the transport sector, legal investigations in the sports sector, albeit counterbalanced by some wonderful results on the field and in water, and the concerns that Brexit poses for the tourism sector, which has been having one of its best years to date.
I will address public transport. All Senators appreciate the importance of our bus, Luas and rail public transport system to our society and our economy. At its most basic, public transport is about connecting people and places. It also has an important role to play in making our cities and towns more liveable places through alleviating congestion and improving our quality of life. Public transport also allows us to make a switch towards a more sustainable transport future and helps to combat environmental pollution. It can be of great assistance to those with reduced mobility in providing an accessible mode of transport. It plays a significant role in the economic growth of the nation through facilitating the efficient movement of people and goods to places of employment and the marketplace.
In order to fulfil these important roles, we need an accessible, integrated, well-funded, high-quality and efficient public transport system, a system that delivers real value for money for the taxpayer and the fare-paying passenger. In this year's budget, I was delighted to announce an allocation of approximately €625 million for the public transport sector. This includes an increase of approximately 11% in the amount of taxpayers' money that will be made available next year to fund public and rural transport services across the State as well as an investment of €344 million in capital expenditure. Collectively, this will facilitate new and improved services and facilities across our publicly-funded bus and rail networks.
The National Transport Authority, NTA, has an important statutory function in allocating funding to the public transport operators, planning public transport services and monitoring the operators' delivery of services in line with their contractual obligations.
On a non-statutory basis, the NTA administers the rural transport programme on my Department's behalf.
As Senators will be aware, A Programme for a Partnership Government gives recognition to the value and benefit of rural transport to communities, in particular for older people vulnerable to social isolation. The allocation for rural transport in 2017 represents an almost 20% increase on the original funding allocation for 2016. I recently announced additional funding for this year. This increased funding for rural transport will enable a continuation of the process already under way of making improvements to existing services and developing new routes.
There are many in this House who believe we should increase funding for our transport services. I, too, believe that increased funding is desirable. That is why I made a strong submission during this year's budget discussions and why I am pleased with the increase I secured. Simply increasing funding is not the only answer. We need to be sure that how we spend existing money is delivering real value for money for the taxpayer. Since 2008, we have spent around €6 billion on public transport across services and infrastructure. Even that figure excludes the cost of funding free travel and the tax saver schemes.
Next year, the NTA will announce the winners of the competitions currently under way to provide around 10% of PSO bus services. These tendering competitions will allow us to capture potential benefits as regards value for money and in respect of how we use taxpayers' money to secure the provision of public transport services. Services provided under these new contracts will be subject to the same regulation and oversight by the NTA as the services provided today. I look forward to the NTA's successful progression of the three competitions and the introduction of an interesting new dynamic to public transport services.
In the near future, projects such as the reopening of the Phoenix Park tunnel, the completion of the cross-city Luas project and the ten-minute DART will help to manage the increasing demand on the transport network. Works have recently been completed on the Phoenix Park tunnel line, which will see several new services operate from Newbridge and Hazelhatch to Grand Canal Dock at peak times on weekdays. The tunnel will also allow commuter services, such as those for Carlow, Portlaoise, Kildare and Athlone, to connect to the city centre. The cross-city Luas project will provide for an estimated 10 million additional journeys per annum on the Luas network, and the capacity of the Luas green line is being increased in order to accommodate the continued passenger growth on that line. The ten-minute DART service will greatly increase the frequency and capacity on DART lines.
The bus service continues to provide the mainstay of our national public transport system. As such, for 2017 funding has been provided for the purchase of 110 buses for the Dublin regional fleet and over 70 buses for the Bus Éireann feet, in addition to the development and upgrading of quality bus corridors in both the greater Dublin area and regional cities.
In addition, nearly €160 million has been allocated for the maintenance and upkeep of the rail network and the funding of ongoing projects, such as the city centre resignalling programme. The construction of a new central traffic control centre will enable major transport projects, including the expansion of the DART to Balbriggan, to proceed. It will improve national rail movement.
The Government has committed to ordering a review of the capital plan in 2017. I am determined to make the case for public transport investment to be increased and accelerated as a result of this review in order to address our growing transport needs.
Yesterday I briefed the Cabinet on the rail review of 2016. The review was undertaken by the NTA and Iarnród Éireann and submitted to me at the end of August. Senators will be aware that I committed to arrange for its publication and the commencement of public consultation. The NTA has now commenced that consultation with the publication yesterday of the rail review and a public consultation paper on the role of rail in Ireland and funding its delivery. The review is a strategic examination of the role of Iarnród Éireann and the financial resources required to continue to provide services on a sustainable basis. The review also provides an analysis of the company's financial position, some possible funding solutions and some proposals for measures to grow passenger numbers. The purpose of the documents is to open up a public discussion on the role of rail and its funding and to provide factual material to inform the discussion.
Throughout the consultation process, the public and interested parties will have an opportunity to contribute to the debate on the future of rail in this country. No decisions are being sought or taken at this point. I have made clear that decisions are not being contemplated until after there is a full process of public consultation. The NTA's public consultation will run until early in the new year. The NTA will then prepare a report about the consultation's progress and, at that stage, I intend to bring it to the Government.
Let us consider the recent industrial unrest in the public transport sector and the inconvenience to the travelling public. I am as relieved as every member of the travelling public to know that the talks have been successful. I thank the WRC, the trades unions and the management for their commitment to engaging in talks and for the hard work, steely patience and long hours they all put in to resolve most of the issues raised. I welcome the continued engagement of unions and management in the public transport sector on outstanding issues.
The Government recognises the importance of public transport and is committed to its further development within the context available funding. That is why A Programme for a Partnership Government commits to full review public transport policy to ensure services are sustainable and meet the needs of a modern economy. Any revised policy must ensure that the interests of passengers and taxpayers are at the heart of public transport policy. I am currently considering, with my Department, how we will move forward with a policy review in 2017 but I am sure the process will benefit from the contributions made by Senators during the Oireachtas-level consultations and the public consultation, which will form a key part of that review.
Maritime transport is another key sector in my Department and it is vital to the Irish economy. Our approach to maritime administration involves an appropriate combination of policy development, statutory regulation, safety awareness promotion, and enforcement.
Safety at sea is vital to this island nation. While a very good foundation is in place, considerable development continues to be required in the coming years to meet international targets and national obligations. This constant need for vigilance was brought home to us in a very poignant way this September with the loss of Catríona Lucas in a tragic accident. She was a coastguard volunteer and a member of that extraordinary group of men and women who dedicate their skills, time and passion so others may be safe on our coastlines. I commend the Coast Guard, volunteers, the RNLI and all involved in ensuring safety at sea on their bravery, remarkable courage and heroism in the service of others.
With regard to the development of our maritime sector, 2016 marked the start of a prolonged period of very important infrastructural improvements and developments in the ports sector. All three of our ports of national significance – Dublin, Cork and Shannon-Foynes - have major infrastructural development plans under way or due to commence, and all have been successful in obtaining some EU funding towards their developments. Overall, port companies are currently performing well, and in 2016 we have seen a shift from recovery mode to growth mode in the ports sector. This means we need to ensure that our ports are positioned well to compete and that they can provide the type of port capacity required into the future. I am confident that national ports policy provides the required policy framework to underpin the necessary investments.
As Senators will be aware, the enactment of the Harbours Act in December 2015 was an important milestone in national ports policy, providing the necessary primary legislative framework to allow for the transfer of five ports of regional significance - Drogheda, Dún Laoghaire, Wicklow, New Ross and Galway - to more appropriate local authority-led governance structures and to local authority control. The local authorities concerned are in the process of conducting a due diligence process with the ports due to be transferred, and my Department continues to liaise with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, local authorities and ports with regard to the transfer process. The transfer of the ports to local authority control is progressing, and Wicklow Port Company was the first port company to transfer to local authority control, on 30 August 2016.
The transfer of the ports to local authority control is progressing. Wicklow Port Company was the first port company to transfer to local authority control on 30 August 2016.
I will now deal with aviation for Ireland given our island status and peripheral location. The connectivity which airports provide is vital. Eighty per cent of all passenger movement into and out of Ireland is by air. We are well served by airports. The airport network providing scheduled air services is extensive, with three State airports, Dublin, Cork and Shannon, delivering significant connections with Europe, North America and the Middle East, complemented by the four regional airports in Donegal, Ireland West Airport - Knock - Kerry and Waterford, providing a level of international connectivity to support the tourism and business sectors in their regions. We are currently in the second year of a five-year regional airports programme, covering the period 2015-19 to provide targeted supports towards safety and security-related projects and activities to these four airports. This programme also supports the two PSO air routes from Donegal and Kerry airports to Dublin. The funding that is provided by my Department for these safety and security purposes is vital for these smaller airports and it is no exaggeration to say that without this Exchequer support, the airports would almost certainly be unable to continue to facilitate scheduled passenger services.
Ireland's State-owned airports provide vital international connectivity. Cork Airport plays a strategic role in serving its hinterland, with over 2 million passengers annually and 39 destinations in ten countries. Shannon Airport holds a similarly strategically important position as a gateway to the mid-west, with 1.71 million passengers in 2015 travelling to 35 destinations in 11 countries. Shannon Airport was also the first in Europe to provide full US pre-clearance services. Last year 25 million passengers flew from Dublin Airport to over 180 destinations in 40 countries using 30 different airlines. The availability of full US customs and immigration pre-clearance facilities at Dublin Airport has assisted in no small way in making Dublin Airport the fifth biggest for connectivity into North America, behind only Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt and Schiphol. With growth can come constraints. It is important that Ireland maximises its existing airport assets while all the time planning for the future.
Last April, I welcomed the decision taken by the DAA to proceed with the development of a second runway at Dublin Airport. The project is expected to create thousands of jobs and will allow the airport to grow, which, in turn, allows the Irish economy to grow. I have encouraged the DAA to continue to engage with local communities on the north runway project. I have held a number of meetings with representative groups and individuals since the company announced that it was proceeding with the runway project. I plan to continue to meet with the groups, to hear their views and anything else they wish to contribute. For its part, the DAA has also stated its willingness - which I support - to meet and engage with residents and to provide briefings to groups or individuals on request. These initiatives are in addition to DAA's ongoing engagement on mitigation measures, including voluntary home sound insulation and dwelling purchase schemes, which are required as part of the planning permission for runway north.
Given that current passenger growth trends at Ireland's State airports are anticipated to continue and in light of the decision by DAA to proceed with construction of the north runway project, I have decided to bring forward a review of capacity at Ireland's State airports, originally planned for 2018. The review is about planning for the long term. Specifically, it is envisaged that the review will consider the development of the three State airports to 2050, with the identification and prioritisation of new infrastructure development, including modification, if any, to the existing airport infrastructure. The review will include examination of options for the development of a new terminal capacity at Dublin Airport, Terminal 3. A request for tender for this work was published last week. I expect to receive the completed report in the middle of next year. One of the key issues for that review is whether the new terminal should be operated by the current incumbent, DAA, or by a competitor from the private or public sector.
My work in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport also covers road transport and road safety. I spoke earlier about maritime safety and of equal importance is road safety. Last year was the joint safest year on record on our roads. However, this year there has been a highly disturbing increase in the number of fatalities and serious injuries recorded. No single factor is being blamed and no one action is likely to turn around this problem. We must remember that each individual who uses our roads, whether as a motorist, a cyclist or a pedestrian, has a responsibility for road safety both in his or her own interest and in the interests of other road users. My Department, in conjunction with other key stakeholders, is continuing to pursue the goal of safer roads through actions across a broad range of fronts. A mid-term review is taking place this month on the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020, which contains 144 actions intended to make our roads safer for all users. High-level meetings are being held between me, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, the Attorney General and other stakeholders to review progress on all actions and to give renewed impetus to any actions that might be behind schedule.
It is only fair to acknowledge that there is a real problem in terms of our road fatalities which must be addressed in a more immediate manner. The number of fatalities has increased by 23% this year, depending on the events of the past few days. The situation is critical. It is not satisfactory to look back and say that the situation has improved since 2002 or before that or to say that 2015 was a good year. The reality is that 2013 and 2014 were bad years and 2015 now looks as if it was the outlier in that for 2016 thus far, the figures are very bad. We need to look at this issue in a more concrete way and more seriously. It must be acknowledged that alcohol has once again become a serious problem in this area. The figures to 2012 show that alcohol has become a renewed curse, particularly among young drivers. In cases involving fatalities there was an alcohol link of 38%. This is not satisfactory. The anecdotal evidence that I have seen indicates that this trend is continuing. It is wrong to suggest that we beat the curse of drink-driving some time in the last generation and that there has been a change of attitude in this regard. If there was a change of attitude it has been reversed. Anybody who listens to our radio stations on a daily basis will realise this. We have almost become used to hearing about fatalities several times a week. That is not acceptable. We must to look to ourselves in terms of a solution. We cannot look to the Garda Síochána and say they are not doing enough in terms of inspections. Garda resources have decreased. All the State agencies, including the Road Safety Authority, and the Government must regard this as a matter of urgency. If there was complacency last year, that has been shattered. We can no longer just say that it is up to each individual to look after himself or herself and nor can we dismiss this as something that will go away. There is a role for Government in this regard. We have shown in the past that we can address it and do so successfully. We will have to be more proactive in our attitude to road deaths. The current statistics are unacceptable to me and they will be reviewed by me aggressively. I will be meeting key stakeholders on this issue in the next few days. We hope to be able to report back to the House next year that this trend is being reversed.
I brought the Road Traffic Bill 2016 before Dáil Éireann recently and it passed Second Stage on 28 September. As Senators may know, the Bill was originally passed by the Seanad in January 2016. The Government took a decision to restore it to the Dáil Order Paper following the general election. I will be bringing it to Committee Stage in the Dáil on 30 November. The Bill contains a series of reforms designed to enhance safety on our roads. It addresses the growing menace of people driving under the influence of drugs. It also creates a new special speed limit of 20 km/h which local authorities will be able to apply in built-up areas. This is being done, after careful consideration, in response to the Jake's Legacy campaign. I pay tribute to the work of Jake's mother, Roseann Brennan, and all involved in the campaign.
In addition, the Bill will give legal effect to an agreement on mutual recognition of driver disqualifications between Ireland and the UK. I plan to bring several amendments on Committee Stage. While some of these will be of a technical nature, I also intend to include measures to address the problem of written-off vehicles and the dangers they present for the first time in law.
I am conscious of the challenges that lie ahead for the transport sector as it seeks to play its part in addressing the challenge of climate change. Work at a sectorial level is proceeding well on the development of a strategic approach to both mitigation and adaptation through the national mitigation and adaptation plans. The mitigation plan will assist Ireland in transitioning to the decarbonisation of the transport sector by 2050. It is also vital we seek to future-proof the efficient functioning of the system to ensure we can continue to accrue the many benefits of transport to the economy and society in general. The adaptation plan will play a key role.
It has been an extraordinary year for Irish sport with the UEFA Euro 2016 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brazil. There was the uplifting success of a certain duo from Cork who rowed their way into the nations' hearts, along with the continued success of the various Irish teams, most recently the soccer and rugby teams. There have also been some difficult moments, namely, the recent tragic death of Anthony Foley and the ongoing Olympic ticket investigations in Rio.
The Government is committed to continued investment in sport. The sports capital programme is the Government's primary vehicle to support the development of sports facilities and the purchase of sports equipment. The most recent rounds of the programme were in 2012, 2014 and 2015. So far this year, €22.3 million has been paid out under these and previous rounds. These grants have delivered new and improved facilities, along with increased opportunities to participate in sport. The programme aims to foster an integrated and planned approach to developing sports and recreation facilities. It has transformed the sporting landscape of Ireland with improvements in the quality and quantity of sporting facilities in virtually every village, town, county and city. The programme also alms to prioritise the needs of disadvantaged areas in the provision of sports facilities and encourage the sharing of these facilities by clubs, schools, community organisations and national governing bodies of sport.
As was confirmed in the 2017 Estimates, €52 million has been provided for sports capital projects. This will meet all existing commitments under previous rounds of the sports capital and local authority swimming pool programmes. It will also allow for a new round of the sports capital programme. In this regard, several new measures are being introduced to streamline all aspects of the programme from registration to application to grant drawdown. Planned new measures will include a shortened application form, new guides for completing the form and the organisation of a series of regional workshops to assist applicants who intend to apply for a grant. The new round will be open for applications by January at the latest. Based on previous rounds of the programme, the assessment process takes several months to complete. I expect the actual grant allocations will be made some time during summer 2017. We will be announcing more comprehensive details of the new round shortly.
The Irish bid for the Rugby World Cup is a real high point for the Irish sporting world. Senators will be aware the launch of the bid took place yesterday at the Aviva Stadium. The Government is hopeful that, with only three competitors left in the bid, we will be successful. Hosting the Rugby World Cup would give a boost not just to sport but to tourism and the whole nation. The benefits for Ireland would be incalculable. The support of the Government, which has underwritten the tournament fee of over €120 million, the IRFU, Irish Rugby Football Union, and other sporting organisations, is encouraging. The fact this is a united Ireland bid for a sporting occasion should not be underestimated. There were people from both parts of Ireland in full support on the platform and in the audience yesterday when the bid was launched. The fact sport unites people is a message that should not be lost.
I call on all Senators to give any support they can to support our bid for this world cup. There is going to be a somewhat complicated voting system, which will not puzzle anyone who has had to stand for election to this House. If any Member can lobby anyone involved in the rugby nations, then the Government and the nation would be grateful. We have a really good chance of a landing an extraordinarily prestigious tournament. We have got the stadia. Anyone who was in Chicago last week when we beat the All Blacks, as were some who are in this Chamber today, will know Irish rugby is at an absolute peak. There was a full house at the game against Canada last Saturday and we will meet the All Blacks on Saturday again. This underlines the fact that we are in an extraordinarily strong position as a rugby nation and on top of the world. It should be recognised that Irish sport is in a very good place. We also did well in the UEFA Euro 2016 championship. Despite not taking as many medals as were expected in the Rio Olympic Games, there were some tremendously unexpected best performances. We did well in the top 10 and top 20.
A total of €52 million is being provided in capital funding for sport in 2017. The reduction from the 2016 capital allocation of €73.5 million is the result of the on-time completion of phase 1 of the National Indoor Arena, due for December 2016. This capital funding will meet existing commitments under previous rounds of the sports capital programme, including Páirc Uí Chaoimh and the Kerry Sports Academy at IT Tralee, as well as existing commitments relating to the development of the National Sports Campus and under the local authority swimming pools programme. As was confirmed in the 2017 Estimates statement, it will also allow for a new round of the sports capital programme to be opened for applications shortly, with the announcement of allocations expected in 2017.
While I have been proud to attend several Irish sporting fixtures lately, I was especially delighted to be able to attend the Olympic Games in Rio in August. I was proud of the accomplishments of our athletes there.
In addition to Annalise Murphy and Paul and Gary O'Donovan winning silver medals, Irish Olympians achieved 16 top-ten and 14 top-20 finishes, which is a marked improvement on the 14 top-ten and six top-20 finishes achieved in London in 2012. Our Paralympians also performed fantastically, winning 11 medals and with 22 top-18 finishes. The Olympians and Paralympians are an inspiration to us all and I hope they will be seen as role models for young people entering the world of competitive sport with a view to reaching elite level in the future.
In mentioning the Olympic Games, I must refer to the non-statutory inquiry established to investigate the matter of ticketing. It is being led by Mr. Justice Carroll Moran and began its investigation on 19 September. The Moran inquiry has scope under its terms of reference to inquire into the policies, procedures, processes and practices of the Olympic Council of Ireland in the distribution and sale of tickets and accreditations at Rio 2016 and any previous summer or winter Olympic Games. Mr. Justice Moran was asked to present a report within 12 weeks of the inquiry's commencement, but he has indicated that this timeline may be ambitious and some delay is anticipated. As the inquiry is under way, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further until it has completed its work.
I am delighted to advise the House that I will be launching a national sports policy consultation document, together with the Minister of State, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, tomorrow, 17 November. It is a very important document as it will give all relevant stakeholders an opportunity to make a real contribution to the new national sports policy framework which will be drafted following the consultation process and provide a framework for the development of Irish sport in the next ten years. The consultation document raises questions on a wide range of issues pertinent to sport in Ireland, including governance, volunteering and sports tourism, in addition to high performance and participation. I look forward to receiving the views of the sports sector and all interested stakeholders on these issues and all topics related to sport.
Tourism is an enormously important industry for Ireland and an important driver of its strengthening economic recovery. Overseas visitors contribute €4.2 billion to the economy, excluding carrier receipts, air fares and ferry charges, and help to sustain over 220,000 jobs in communities across Ireland. In fact, 2013 was the fifth consecutive year of growth in overseas visitor numbers, with Ireland outperforming many of its competitor destinations, while 2015 was a record year, with over 8.6 million visits. That growth has continued into 2016, with the latest official figures showing growth of over 12% so far this year. As an island destination, direct, convenient and competitive flights are critical to achieving and sustaining growth in inbound tourist numbers. We have seen significant expansion in the range of air services available to Ireland in recent years and anticipate that there are further route announcements yet to come.
The Government's decision to introduce and maintain a 9% VAT rate for the tourism industry has been an important factor in increasing employment in the sector and, importantly, helped to improve the value on offer for visitors. The Government's tourism policy statement, People, Place and Policy - Growing Tourism to 2025, acknowledges the importance of tourism as a driver of economic and social development in rural areas. The tourism action plan 2016 to 2018 identifies the key actions required in the period to 2018 to ensure the longer-term tourism policy objectives will be achieved. They include actions that will strengthen the capacity of local authorities to support tourism in a way that is closely integrated with national level tourism brand experiences, for example, Ireland's Ancient East. My Department is engaging with the local authority sector on these actions, with the support of the Local Government Management Agency.
Tourism experience brands such as the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East have resulted in a massive boost to rural tourism and it is important that the potential benefits of the State's investments in these projects be fully realised. To this end, the regional co-operative market access scheme which promotes direct air and sea access to the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's Ancient East via points of entry outside Dublin has been extended to 2018. The scheme which is administered by Tourism Ireland involves a core Exchequer contribution of €1 million, with additional contributions by regional tourism stakeholders, including local authorities, the total of which is then matched by carriers to fund strong and effective overseas marketing campaigns. My Department is also working with the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on the action plan for rural Ireland which will also include a focus on the capacity of tourism to act as an agent of growth in the rural economy.
As we are all aware, the United Kingdom decided, in a referendum held earlier this year, to leave the European Union. The UK electorate has made its decision and we must respect the voters' choice. The process of the United Kingdom disengaging from the European Union and subsequently negotiating a new relationship with it will take several years. In the meantime, Ireland remains a committed member of the European Union and we want as close a relationship as possible between the United Kingdom and the European Union in the future. In particular, we want to safeguard the gains of the Northern Ireland peace process.
We are conducting analysis across government to identify in detail the impact of Brexit and develop possible solutions. This includes the impact on transport and tourism. Many factors will influence the impact Brexit will have on Ireland's tourism performance in the coming years, much of which is out of our control. This has been a record year for tourism in Ireland and there has been no immediate impact on tourism performance since the referendum in the United Kingdom in June. At over 7.445 million visits, the number of overall trips to Ireland was up by 12% in the first nine months of 2016 compared with the same period in 2015. The tourism sector is actively considering how it will respond to Brexit and the ways in which it can build on the success achieved this year.
That concludes my overview of the portfolio. I thank Senators for their time and patience and look forward to hearing their contributions. I will be very happy to listen and respond to the contributions made. Many of the items in my portfolio are non-political and cover areas on which most people appear to agree. The only point on which they do not agree is where the funding should go. We all seem to share the view that it should go to our own area. Within these confines, I would like to respond as positively as I can to suggestions Senators may make. On two of the topics I have addressed, we are actually making policy. If the consultation process is to be meaningful, it should be informed not only by the views of stakeholders outside the Houses but also those inside them. I am referring specifically to the rail review which we published yesterday. No decision has yet been made in that regard as it is subject to a consultation process and input both by the Government and the Opposition. We are launching the sports consultation process tomorrow. In that regard, we are as open to suggestions as is politically feasible. I will be particularly delighted to receive ideas that will not cost enormous sums of money to implement.
Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. The Leas-Chathaoirleach will realise we have got the timing wrong. We are three quarters of an hour into the debate, yet we have three big areas of the Minister's portfolio to discuss. We would have been better-----
Forty-one and a half minutes, to be precise.
Yes. The Minister's speech was generously long. He is an old hand in the Seanad and knows well that the longer the Minister's speech, the less chance the rest of us will have.
I will come back on certain points.
I am glad to hear it. The Minister pre-empted my remarks. That will be necessary because there are many aspects of each of the three sections of his portfolio that we would like to assess in greater detail. It is good to have the Minister back in his old stamping ground. We commend much of what he has said and support it. There are aspects of his statement about which we obviously have reservations. My colleague, Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee, will deal with the issues related to Dublin Airport.
Is the Senator sharing time?
Do I need to?
Just two minutes.
Will we get three speakers into this time slot?
I do not believe that the Senator will.
Two anyway. The other Senators may share.
If I could just-----
I am not sharing for the moment. The Leas-Chathaoirleach might give me a heads up when I have two minutes left.
I will.
Sharing is caring.
I will battle on.
I will hit three or four points regarding sport. Obviously, we are supportive of the Rugby World Cup 2023 project. I am delighted to see my fellow Kerryman and old sparring partner, Mr. Dick Spring, being positive on that front, and I am sure that the Leas-Chathaoirleach is as well. We wish the project well and will do everything that we can to land it and get it over the line.
The Minister is a little laid back about sports grants. He mentioned application forms being issued in January with decisions possibly being made by next summer. He knows that these are lifelines for all types of community sporting activity across the nation. We hope that he will get the finger out a bit. We cannot afford to drag out the process.
I appreciate the constraints on the Minister regarding the Rio ticket debacle. It was unfortunate for the national image as well as for sport and politics in Ireland. I will not tread on the Moran inquiry, but I hope there will be no further delays. There is a sense around the country that the issue will be quietly swept under the carpet.
Clearly, tourism is a success story. Since the Seanad had a good debate with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, last week, I will not rehash much of that discussion, but we must nourish and invest in tourism. There is no point in standing back and admiring ourselves. We must continually work on it. I am concerned by the figures. The 2017 capital programme is down by 4%. Since 2012, it has decreased by 17%. The Minister knows that when investment drops in any walk of life, performance also drops. He will need to examine and address this issue, particularly in the context of Brexit. As he stated, 40% of our tourism revenue comes from Great Britain and Northern Ireland. They are big spenders, as we in Kerry know well, and they are always welcome visitors, but people are concerned. At a recent Oireachtas committee meeting, the head of Fáilte Ireland indicated that Brexit had already impacted on the sector. Perhaps we should have a more forceful tourism Brexit statement. There has been an interdepartmental one, but the impact on tourism will hit my county first and I would like to see a more hands-on approach to the situation.
As the Minister knows, the Asian market is growing and has considerable potential. I would welcome further studies in this regard. People coming from Asia travel for longer to get here, spend more time in our country and visit more parts of it. Their needs, what they are visiting for and how we can attract more of them should be analysed.
Turning to the old bugbears in tourism, hotel pricing, particularly in our capital city, is a disgrace. It will be an issue this coming weekend with the Rod Stewart concert. Another bug bear is the shortage of skills, particularly in the culinary field. There is a shortfall of up to 5,000 chefs. As to kitchen skills training, we are far behind where we used to be in the days of CERT. As a Kerryman, I am involved in tourism and know all about it, and the Minister will be conscious of its importance.
While the Wild Atlantic Way has been a success, there has been little in the way of real funding for some projects, for example, the new visual viewing platforms that all of the counties are anxious to get. Will the Minister provide some details on capital funding in that respect?
Regarding transport, I should start with the most important issue, which is road safety. The Minister is dead on in this regard and we will support everything and anything he can do on that front. Senators were glad to initiate the Road Traffic Bill, which is now before the Dáil. The level of competence required to get a full driving licence needs to be examined.
The Senator has two minutes remaining.
I will not be sharing, so.
The Chair is just trying to be helpful.
There is significant pressure on the licensing authority to qualify drivers with L plates. Many of them are quite young, want to get their licences and need cars to have independence of movement, bring children to school and travel to and from their jobs. As politicians, we apply part of that pressure, but road safety has to come first. We must be more stringent as to who we allow to drive on our roads. One can be a prudent, careful and experienced driver, but one cannot legislate for the idiot who will come flying around the corner at 100 mph in a 30 mph zone. We cannot idiot-proof legislation and I hope that I will not be accused of Nazism, but there should be some form of driving intelligence test as part of the licensing procedure. Too many innocent people have been killed on our roads by people who were out of their minds with speed. I would like to see something done in that regard.
The Irish Rail leak did not do the Minister or his Department any service. It frightened the bejesus, if the Chair will pardon the expression, out of rural Ireland. A more temperate report has arisen from the Cabinet discussion, but the Minister or whoever is leaking such statements to the media should not be doing so. Perhaps the Minister will comment on this. People are trying to catch up afterwards-----
On a point of order, I ask that the Senator withdraw his comment. He said that he did not think that I should be leaking information.
I will withdraw it,-----
I thank the Senator.
-----but someone leaked it.
Sure, the Minister has never leaked in his life.
Order, please. Every Senator will have an opportunity.
I withdraw my comment. I had no right to say it, but the information was leaked, and obviously from the Department's side. Who else would have had it? It did the Minister, his Department and the review no service. I will leave it at that.
Roads funding is the elephant in the room. The roads are gone to the dogs. When I was mayor of Kerry in 2004, we embarked on a ten-year roads programme that finally got the roads in my county into shape. All of that work has been undone. Our funding has fallen by 48% and there is no money for local improvement schemes. How are people in rural Ireland, including inland areas, going to cope?
The Senator is just running into injury time.
How can they get to and from their homes without local improvement schemes? The Minister will have to cough up for this. I will not belt the rural Ireland angle all of the time, but if we cannot give people access to their own homes because they happen to live in inland areas in rural Ireland, we will get nowhere.
I have so much more that I could say, but we will have to hold another debate on all of these issues.
I thank the Senator.
I welcome the Minister. While he spent 45 minutes on setting out his stall-----
It was 41.5.
To be precise. I want to be fair.
I have the clock here, remember.
It ate into the time for engagement. We are all aware of it.
As the Senator heard, the Minister has offered to return.
I want to get to the point. I thank the Minister. To be fair to him, he has provided a comprehensive paper and has set out his stall in print clearly. That is important, because I intend to circulate this to people. People are interested in these issues. I was somewhat surprised by the Minister's statement about some aspects of his Department not being political. All politics is political. The Minister is political. His job is political. This is all political.
I will take the Minister through a few points and question him on five or six key issues: the national ports policy; the sports capital programme, which he has discussed; concerns about Iarnród Éireann facing insolvency, as published in the media; the appointment of directors to organisations under his remit and for which he alone has responsibility; and school transport. Although that last does not fall under his Department completely, he is the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and I would like to know the level of synergy in that regard.
I will start with the national ports policy and, without wanting to appear too parochial, Dún Laoghaire Harbour. Wicklow is now out of the scene, but Dún Laoghaire was one of a number of ports, including Galway, New Ross and Drogheda, that were affected by the Harbours Act 2015, which originated from the 2013 national ports policy. We are approaching 2017. For some reason best known to themselves, the previous two Administrations decided to remove local elected representatives from all of the port harbour companies. That decision was taken and I am not trying to revisit or change it, but it was a bad move. Local government keeps being eroded in terms of housing, water services, planning and so on. The decision some years ago to remove councillors was not taken on the Minister's watch, but I just wanted to make a point.
The Act provides only for two transfer options relating to ports of regional significance. The first is the ministerial power to transfer the share holding of the companies to a relevant local authority and provide for certain matters relating to the future administration of any such company. The second is the ministerial power to dissolve the company and transfer all of its assets, liabilities and employees to a relevant local authority. They are the only two options available. Clearly the pace is very slow. The Minister has spoken before about due diligence but in the case of Dún Laoghaire, which seems to be the one that is holding things up, the due diligence process has been going on for a very long time. In the meantime, the port is falling asunder. The whole place is virtually closed up. Last week The Irish Times reported that the ferry terminal building is available to lease for ten years. A purpose built multi-million euro ferry terminal for transporting people in and out of the country is now available to rent. It has been suggested that it might become a shopping centre. This is a State asset and for some reason, consecutive Ministers have said that the State has no involvement and that they cannot interfere. This is a State asset and indeed, all harbour companies are State assets. I asked the Minister previously what dividends each State company pays to the State. He was not able to answer me at that time and he may not be able to answer me today but I ask him to revert to me on that matter. I do know that in the case of Dún Laoghaire, it has never paid a dividend to the State.
Are these harbour companies viable? Do local authorities really have the capacity, in terms of maritime law and expertise, to deal with them? I believe they do not. The Minister must make a decision. In the event of a dispute, the Act provides the Minister with the power to make a decision. Communication is important. I know there are sensitive issues involved but I ask the Minister to outline the timeframe if he can. When is he going to exercise his power to make a decision one way or the other, if there is a disagreement between Dún Laoghaire harbour company and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council? Employment is at stake here and there are also serious pension concerns. A number of cases related to this company are before the High Court about which I gave details to the Minister previously. This is a company in crisis and it needs serious intervention. The Minister cannot walk away and say that he has no responsibility. This is an asset which is vested in the Ministers for Transport, Tourism and Sport and Finance. That is enough on that issue.
I welcome the Minister's comments on the railway review. I particularly welcome his statement that no rail line service is to be cut at this point in time. However, as someone who represents agricultural interests in the Seanad I am conscious of the importance of balanced rural development. In that context, it is important that we maintain, support and if necessary, subsidise good public transport across the country. Public transport comes at a cost to the taxpayer but if we are serious about spatial and regional development we must support towns and communities all over the country. I welcome what the Minister has said in that regard.
I fully agree with everything the Minister said about road safety. I ask the Minister to assure the House that the Road Safety Authority has the necessary resources and finances to do its job. Does it have a full complement of directors or are there vacancies at the authority at the moment? Has the authority made any request for additional resources or for more directors? I ask the Minister to give us the details in that regard. The Minister spoke about his commitment to road safety and I want to be assured that he is fully behind the Road Safety Authority and will respond to any requests for additional resources or manpower to enable the authority to do the job with which it is tasked.
I am not sure if school transport is within the Minister's remit. If so, I ask him to comment on it because there is a major crisis in the provision of school transport. I have been contacted by people from Donegal to Cork who have been unable to secure school transport because of the complexity of the rules regarding distance from schools. A fundamental review of school transport provision is needed.
On the sports capital programme, I note that the Minister intends to streamline the application process and that is to be welcomed. It is important to have early dialogue with the local authorities on encouraging people to apply for funding. I also welcome the Minister's commitments with regard to swimming pools. I will not be specific but will simply say that we need swimming pools and sports facilities across the country. It is important that local authorities are kept informed of the new, streamlining policies so that they can help applicants to access the programme.
I raised the matter of the Irish Rugby Football Union, IRFU and the Rugby World Cup bid in the House yesterday and I echo the Minister's enthusiasm for that bid. I also want to acknowledge the role played by the GAA, which the Minister did not mention. The GAA has co-operated with the IRFU and has offered synergy to the bid process. France and South Africa are also in the mix and it will be a tough battle to secure the event but it is a very positive development.
I have covered Iarnród Éireann and the national ports policy. On the latter, there is a crisis with the local authorities, except in the case of Wicklow Port Company which has been transferred. We must push that along.
Finally, Senator Craughwell raised the issue of scrambler quad bikes with the Minister earlier this week. I read the Minister's response today but I still have concerns. Many public representatives have been contacted with regard to the need for additional legislation in this area. The Minister, in his written response, said that he was satisfied that An Garda Síochána has the capacity and resources to deal with this matter but I suggest that a review be undertaken to determine if new legislation is required in this area.
Senator O'Mahony is next and he has eight minutes.
I welcome the Minister to the House. I understand this is his first visit as a Minister, having served here as a Senator for many years.
The Minister's comprehensive overview shows clearly that he has a very wide brief. There are many challenges ahead but there are opportunities as well. I attended a meeting of the Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport this morning at which departmental officials, together with representatives from Transport Infrastructure Ireland, outlined in stark terms the cuts in funding for our roads since the economic crash in 2008. I welcome the Minister's determination, as expressed in his statement here, to review and restore that funding because the longer it goes on, the more costly it will become.
I can only scratch the surface in the time allowed today but on aviation traffic, the growth has been phenomenal, as the Minister pointed out. I am glad that the continuation of that growth is being planned for in the context of the extra runway at Dublin Airport and developments at the other State airports at Shannon and Cork. The Minister made reference to the possibility of a third terminal, which is interesting given that only a few years ago the suggestion was made that terminal 2 was a waste of money.
For those of us who live in regional and rural Ireland connectivity is crucial. Our regional airports in Kerry, Donegal, Waterford and in my own area of Knock are very important in that regard. In the last few days Ireland West Airport, Knock, announced record numbers of passengers for 2016. It had a greater number of passengers than all of the other regional airports put together. The airport is vital for those in County Donegal, the midlands and the west. The Minister made reference in his statement to Public Service Obligation, PSO, routes. Knock had a PSO route which it lost a number of years ago because it was not being used. The Minister mentioned the two PSO routes in Donegal and Kerry and I hope they are being well used. Are those routes being kept under review in terms of their use? If they are being used, they must be kept but if they are not being used, they must be considered carefully. It is as simple and straightforward as that because there is limited funding available for regional airports.
The Minister mentioned the regional airports funding programme for 2015 to 2019 which facilitates State funding for capital spending on security and safety measures. Under the new scheme the State only provides for 75% of the costs whereas under the old scheme it provided 90%. It is my understanding that the previous Government submitted a request to the European Commission to allow for exceptional cases to be made in certain circumstances. As the Minister rightly pointed out, some of these airports do not have the capacity to raise the 25% funding shortfall. I understand the Government argued for the provision of 90% funding for Ireland West Airport, Knock because of the urgent need for a new apron given the increased number of flights at the airport.
I would welcome any information the Minister has on that.
The regional airports have the ability to get tourists directly to the regions, which is crucial. Tourism has been a good-news story in recent years but it is important that we do not lose our competitive advantage and the good value for money that was there. There is huge value for money particularly in the regions. Senator Ned O'Sullivan pointed out the issues in Dublin and large urban areas where there is a shortage of hotel accommodation and the rates have increased. The regions can continue to provide value for money and the regional airports are vital for that.
I compliment the State agencies on their targeted marketing, including The Gathering, the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's Ancient East and many others.
Sport is also within the Minister's remit. I join other Senators in welcoming yesterday's launch of Ireland's Rugby World Cup bid. Sport is able to unite people more than politics can. Hopefully the Government, the Northern Administration, the GAA and rugby coming together can provide a huge boost to the economy in 2023 if we can land it.
As the Minister has said, there have been many good stories in sport. I think we are going through a golden era at the moment. He mentioned the recent rugby win against the All Blacks and the upcoming game. I better not mention that he might be able to make tickets available to Senators because we had enough controversy about that in recent times. It certainly is a golden era as we saw in the Olympic Games and the Paralympics, but there are also problems in sport.
The Minister mentioned governance in sport and I welcome the consultation process he has announced. He mentioned the ticketing scandal and the investigations will report on what happened there. He was in the middle of that controversy during the summer. On top of that issue, there are other issues with governance in sport. For instance boxing was the leading light in previous Olympic Games; it really fell through the floor in this one. There was also controversy at world level over the judging system and all that. I know the reviews will come out and we will have an opportunity to discuss them at the committee. I would be interested in the Minister's comments on that. We want to support the positive effects of sport and eradicate the negative and bad administration wherever it exists.
I finish on a housekeeping matter. In the previous Government, the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, was responsible for sport. I ask the Minister to clarify to whom we should make representations and the various areas covered by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. I presume he has responsibility for the sporting area. Obviously, the Minister has overall responsibility, but I ask him to clarify the different roles.
I thank the Minister for coming here today to hear our concerns on a number of issues for which he has responsibility. The people in my county, Donegal, heard yesterday's radio debates involving Deputy Alan Kelly and others with some raised eyes because it is decades since Donegal had its rail tracks torn up; we have no rail in the entire county. Worse than that, in the counties of Derry and Donegal with a population of almost 500,000 there is no rail connection, no motorway or dual-carriageway connection and no air link to our capital city. That historical neglect is indefensible.
I am sure the Minister has seen the report entitled Connected by IBEC and CBI. The report sets out a vision for an all-Ireland transport infrastructure as we head to a population of 10 million by 2050. Page 5 has a map of motorway and dual carriageway on the island with a complete blank spot in the north west, which has been that way for many a year. Page 9 of the report shows the rail network which is also a complete blank spot for the people of the north west. While I appreciate the Minister's earlier point that all Senators and Deputies will understandably raise the concerns of the places they are from and the people they represent, I put it to him that the case for the people of the north west is obvious and needs to be addressed.
It has only worsened in the advent of the Brexit vote in June. In his speech the Minister outlined how his Department will be addressing that. One key way to do so is to address that regional imbalance and the denial of equality of access to the people of the region in which I live.
The St. Andrews Agreement followed on from the Good Friday Agreement and stabilised the institutions in the North. It reinforced the Good Friday Agreement, which had been voted on by the people. The Irish Government subsequently committed to £400 million in co-funding for the A5, that is, the dual carriageway from Donegal and Derry leading into Dublin. Today that has now been reduced to €75 million. Sadly that project was delayed by a High Court decision. I understand that the issues leading to that High Court decision have been addressed and the project is now shovel-ready to commence in 2017. I ask the Minister and his Government colleagues to work with his colleagues in the North and in the North-South Ministerial Council to address the shortfall in funding and to adequately support this vital project on the basis of the arguments I have made at the outset.
The people of Donegal need to benefit from the A5. Letterkenny is the main population base and the key point in terms of public services, hospitals, institutes of technology, industry and so on. We need to build the Letterkenny relief road, which is not contained in the capital plan for this period. I ask the Minister to review that at the earliest opportunity. In addition, the N14 links most of Donegal into Lifford-Strabane at which point it joins up with the A5. It is an all-round vision and I ask the Minister to look at that.
Obviously, I welcome the announcement of the bid to host the Rugby World Cup. It was good to see our political leaders across the island united together along with our rugby stars. I welcome that one of the locations in that bid is Celtic Park in Derry. If we can bring the Rugby World Cup to Ireland it is vital that is played in all corners of the island. However, the lack of an air link between Dublin and Derry will undermine the project. The City of Derry Airport is at the economic and tourism heart of our region with 40% of the passengers using the airport being from Donegal - over 150,000 a year. However, since 2011 the Government here has not invested one cent in that airport, which needs to be addressed.
The Wild Atlantic Way has been a success. I talked to tourism promoters who universally praised the initiative. If we can join the dots together as far as the causeway coast, we would have a great product to offer people. Most tourists coming into Ireland from North America and Europe fly into Dublin; we need a connecting flight from Dublin to Derry if we are to get the region moving.
I ask the Minister to consider, at the earliest opportunity, meeting the board of the City of Derry airport.
We recently received some exciting news, namely, the public service obligation connecting London and another airport to Derry. Ryanair flights were removed, which created a real panic in the region. Since then there has been really good news. There will be substantial investment in the airport. Things are moving in the right direction. I visited the area on Friday and the potential of the airport is really exciting. It has the capacity to provide for 650,000 passengers, which is almost double the current number. A lot of good work has been done. I ask the Minister to meet the representatives. They are intelligent, positive and can-do people. I am sure when he meets them he will get that sense.
If a public service obligation is not possible, I ask the Minister to consider a partnership arrangement with the Northern Executive. Could route development funds be contributed? There should be some contributions made to the airport, in particular to put in place a link between Dublin and Derry.
My final comments relate to the Irish Coast Guard. The Minister correctly referred to it in glowing terms in his comments. He knows the service is one of four core primary emergency response services in the State, the others being the Garda, the fire service and the ambulance service. It is asking to be placed on a statutory footing and for legislation to be put in place to ensure it has the same status, resources and structures as other emergency services. I ask the Minister to consider meeting its personnel to determine how he can put legislation together. I am sure it is something he would want to do in order to reassure the service. It is concerned about its future and it would be important to provide it with reassurance.
I thank the Minister for his attention. I appreciate that much of what I have said are issues he has inherited. As has been proven in his contributions in the Chamber over the years, he is somebody of considerable ability. I hope he can work in partnership with the people of our region to turn things around.
I wish to share time with Senator Dolan.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I welcome the Minister to the House. He has a wide-ranging portfolio. The area of greatest interest to me will always be road safety. As the Minister indicated, his Department covers road transport and safety.
With that in mind, last week we had a debate on Committee Stage of the Heritage Bill. The first amendment that was discussed concerned road safety and the management of our hedgerows. A number of amendments seeking to provide clarity and ensure public safety with regard to road safety were put forward by a number of Senators. They are relatively simple and effective amendments that would clarify matters. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, was in the House and indicated she has difficulty in addressing these amendments as they fall under the remit of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, as he indicated.
Would the Minister agree that the road safety aspects of the Heritage Bill are best handled by his Department under improvements to section 70 of the Roads Act? I ask the Minister to liaise with his colleague, Deputy Humphreys, on this matter. That would be very helpful. The next debate is on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Committee Stage has been adjourned. It would be good if we could get clarification on road safety, section 70 and the hedgerow system.
The Minister referred to road safety and speed limits around housing estates. He has been in contact with the Jake's Legacy campaign and Jake's mother. I welcome this development. The Minister indicated the Bill he wishes to bring forward will create a new special speed limit of 20 km/h which local authorities will be able to apply in built-up areas. This will apply to areas where there are housing estates, communities and families. I welcome the development and hope the Bill is brought before the House as soon as possible.
I refer to tourism. Another Senator referred to Donegal and the north west. I am here to represent my area, the south east. In a way, I am jealous because the Wild Atlantic Way has been branded and funded, and is delivering for the economy of Ireland, in particular the west coast. The south east is part of Ireland's Ancient East, which so far has just been a brand. We have not yet seen financial returns. There is a correlation between employment and successful tourism. There was an increase of €150 million in the budget for the National Tourism Development Authority. I ask the Minister to examine the south east specifically because we have a problem with job recovery. A portion of the money could go to funding tourism in Waterford, developing the Viking triangle area and funding initiatives in the south east.
The Minister is very welcome. My constituency comprises over 600,000 people but they are not able to go anywhere with ease or comfort. I am sorry to say the Minister's statement gives very little, if any, comfort.
He commenced by saying that public transport can be of great assistance to those with reduced mobility to provide an accessible mode of transport. Page 3 of his statement refers to the objective of the review which is twofold, namely, sustainable public transport and meeting the needs of a modern economy. There is more to this than the economy. There is nothing in between in the statement. There is a nod to people with disabilities and then the statement moves on.
The Taoiseach and, more recently, the Minister's colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, gave commitments in the House that the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities would be ratified by the end of this year. Ratification means one thing, namely, implementation. In the year ahead will the Minister bring about changes? There are major deficiencies in public transport services within his area.
I will name just three areas. For DART, rail and Bus Éireann, 24 hours notice is required if one wishes to travel. There are still incidents where people are unable to travel or make a return journey. Why is it that only Dublin Bus has integrated assistive technology throughout its fleet for those who are visually or hearing impaired? Some of the new vehicles in the Bus Éireann fleet have information displayed on screens, but no audio announcements. Why is there a specification for the Pale and a non-standard specification for the rest of the country?
A significant proportion of the Bus Éireann fleet has nothing to aid passengers who are visually or hearing impaired having an independent bus journey experience. That disparity needs to be dealt with by the Minister.
Wheelchair spaces should be mandatory on Dublin buses, regional bus services and Irish Rail. The spaces were hard fought for and put there for a reason. They are not spaces for a buggy. Rather, they are spaces for people with disabilities. Why does the Minister continue to resist the protection of these spaces for wheelchair users? It should be made an offence to abuse the spaces.
Currently, a driver or an official can only request someone else to vacate the space. In August last I requested a brief meeting with the Minister on implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, and on the need for a strong reference in his Department's strategy statement to people with disabilities also being members of the public to be served. A second letter which I issued in that regard in October received an acknowledgement. The Minister might take the opportunity to confirm today the disability inclusion intentions of his Department's strategy statement.
I request that the Minister return to this House to set out the advances that disabled passengers will experience by this time next year and throughout the next number of years, which advances should resonate with the ambition of the statement in the charter for change signed by him last January, including that discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. We are still tolerating discrimination. The charter also commits to equal access for all but this is not being delivered on for people with disabilities at this time. It further states that Ireland's most vulnerable people must be protected but this is not happening for disabled people. In regard to the statement that the Government should ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities without delay, there are six weeks remaining of this year within which to do so. I look forward to the Minister's return to this House.
I must ask Senators to stick to the time allocated in so far as possible because we are short on time and I would like to allow everybody who has indicated an opportunity to speak.
I will be as brief as possible. I join colleagues in welcoming the Minister to the House and I thank him for his remarks on the wide range of areas covered by his portfolio.
Ireland's staging of the 2023 World Cup would offer a huge opportunity to, among other things, encourage increased participation in sport in this country. I would like to focus my remarks today on adult participation in sports. A recent report from the Irish Sports Monitor shows that the number of adults regularly participating in sport has dropped to its lowest level since reporting began in 2007. Currently, 45% of adults participate in sport, which is a decrease of 2% since 2011. This decline is largest among men and is strongest felt in the area of team sports. In my own sport of rugby the fall-off rate in players once they reach 18 years of age is staggering. Where once we saw clubs fielding seven or eight adult teams they are now lucky to field three teams. There has been an understandable and worthwhile focus in recent years on increasing levels of activity and participation among children. There must now be a similar push for increased adult involvement in organised sport. The option of being an armchair sports fan is easier now than it has ever been, with 24-hour sports coverage from around the world on television and online. This is robbing grassroots clubs of adult players, as well as the coaches and volunteers so vital to supporting younger generations. Beyond the physical well-being of our adult population, the societal and mental health benefits of participating in organised sport, particularly team sports, is well documented. Many of our leading sport organisations and elite athletes, such as Jack McGrath and Ashling Thompson, have been to the fore in recent mental health awareness campaigns.
I call on the Minister to prioritise adult participation in organised sport, to engage with sporting bodies to address the obstacles to such participation and to, perhaps, use the next round of sports capital grants to help overcome these obstacles, be that the provision of modernised facilities, more artificial pitches or more floodlights.
I would also like to inquire about the status of the swimming pool fund and whether it will be reintroduced in the lifetime of this Government. This is of particular interest to many adults and children in the Ballyogan area in particular, with which I know the Minister is familiar.
I, too, welcome the Minister to the House. Following publication yesterday of the rail report, the sub-plot and conversation in the media was around Dublin versus rural Ireland rather than the best use of scarce resources. I will speak later about the DART underground.
Within the Dublin region, tens of millions of euro accrued from the property tax are transferred into a central fund which also supports rural Ireland. I have always supported that. Almost 70% of all taxation is raised in the eastern region. The DART system within the Dublin region is subvented to the tune of approximately 90 cent per journey. When arguing for investment into a region or for development of road, rail or airport infrastructure, the generation of revenue to the State must be taken into consideration. One rarely hears an argument against this type of investment from the citizens or politicians of a particular region. We are obliged to ensure investment across the nation. We have heard many arguments in this House for investment in particular regions and motorways. I believe Galway Airport closed because it became quicker to get to Galway via the new motorway, which rendered the airport economically unviable. Similarly, Cork Airport is suffering because it now is easy to drive from the outskirts of Cork to Dublin Airport because of the investment in that motorway. I often flew to Farranfore from Dublin Airport but because of the investment in the motorway network it is now far quicker for me to travel there by road. It must be remembered that investment in roads and motorways can result in the closure of rural airports. That is the reality. In regard to Senator Mac Lochlainn's argument regarding investment in motorways, I spoke to a colleague of his who represents Donegal and he was of the view that it was important to get investment into the airport in Donegal before the motorway is built because the airport would not economically stack up if the motorway was built first. We have to be very realistic.
The Minister will be aware that in terms of capacity, the DART currently transports 23,700 passengers per hour in or around the Dublin region. If the underground system was invested in capacity would increase to 73,300 passengers per hour. It would also result in expanded use of the rail network within the Dublin region and thus reduced journey times to Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. It would also mean that the travel time to Galway in less than two hours and from Dublin to Cork within three hours would be achievable. All of these things are important. For what in my opinion is a small investment in comparison with the likely increase in passenger numbers this investment would be worthwhile. When the Minister was a backbencher, he ran a huge campaign in relation to the tolling of the M50. There is now a campaign to enlarge the M50. The DART underground has the potential to eliminate all peak hour traffic journeys within the city. In terms of investment, investment in the DART underground stacks up, as does metro north in the context of the expansion of Dublin Airport and a new terminal 3. All of these projects are key infrastructural elements that will increase visitor numbers into Ireland.
The Minister referred in his opening statement to the ten-minute DART. I presume he was referring in that regard to an increased number of journeys under the current infrastructure such that there would be a DART every ten minutes on a regular basis. The funding to improve the signalling to allow for a DART every ten minutes on the current infrastructure was withdrawn last year.
Is the Minister saying that the funding to allow the upgrading of the signalling at all junctions along the DART line is being reinstated?
If we are really serious about public transport, why is there such a delay in replacing the three members to the Iarnród Éireann board? The Minister has been in place since May and has appointed nobody, while he has reappointed 16 people.
I totally agree that the road safety figures are going the wrong way and it is a serious concern. When is the Minister going to make the appointments to the vacant positions in the Road Safety Authority? These vacancies were shown on the Department's website at the beginning of this month. When are the four members of the taxi advisory committee, which was in the news last week, going to be replaced? The Minister mentioned his commitment to climate change. Under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, from 13 December he will have a responsibility to report to this House and to the Dáil on his adaptation plans in that regard. While the 130 new buses are welcome, it also would be welcome if consideration was given to what fuel will be driving them.
The 9% VAT rate has been a huge success and the Minister supported it when it was introduced by the previous Government. We need to look at how we adapt that. We cannot set different VAT rates for different parts of the country but there is now certainly a shortage of hotel bedrooms in the Dublin area. A gouging of prices is probably taking place, along with an exploitation of people who come to stay in Dublin, but the 9% VAT rate stays in place. I ask the Minister and his Cabinet colleagues to look at a change in legislation to allow a bed tax to be introduced by local authorities.
I ask the Senator to conclude as we are under pressure.
Each local authority around the country would have the option to introduce a bed tax to reinvest into our arts and cultural products that attract people. We have huge challenges in respect of transport, which I have not touched on.
The Senator does not have time to touch on them.
Cycling infrastructure is sadly lacking and there are other areas, of which I am sure the Minister is well aware.
It will not be any surprise to the Minister that I wish to address the issue of the development of the northern runway at Dublin Airport. I am one of the 50,000 residents whom the development will impact so it is an issue close to my own heart. He said he was encouraging the DAA to continue to engage with local communities. As he knows from several meetings that I and other public representatives have attended with him, the engagement has been nothing more than a box-ticking exercise and, in the future, engagement has to be meaningful. Residents are starved of information and learn about the development through the media. This has to change.
We do not oppose the development of the runway and accept that it is going ahead but the third and fifth conditions set down by An Bord Pleanála, which specifically refer to night-time flights, must be adhered to. We need a commitment from the Government that it will not ignore, or allow the DAA to ignore, those conditions. The impact of noise pollution on the communities around the airport cannot be underestimated. Health implications such as depression, heart disease and obesity have been linked with noise pollution and a lack of sleep or broken sleep. The people around the airport are experiencing these things at present.
The development of the northern runway will have a devastating impact on regional airports, as outlined by Senator Humphreys. The increase in air traffic at Dublin Airport in recent months and years is directly linked with a decrease in traffic in Cork and Shannon. Senator O'Mahony spoke of the commitment to regional development and I ask the Senator to speak to his colleague and friend, the Taoiseach, about it to ensure the Government stands firm with the DAA and does not allow the third and fifth conditions of the grant of planning permission for the northern runway to be overruled, thereby increasing the traffic exponentially at Dublin Airport to the detriment of the regional airports.
The infrastructure around the airport is very important and the M50 is at capacity. The country roads around the airport are not suitable to cope with the impact the new runway will have. Metro north needs to be looked at again and, while we have a commitment on a scaled-back version, we need to increase it considering that Fingal is the fastest-growing county in Ireland and on account of the traffic which will go through the airport as a result of the development of the northern runway.
A small group of families are being bought out by the DAA in the development of the runway. The Minister met them earlier this week, along with me and other colleagues. They need a fair price as they are losing their farms and their way of life. Generations have grown up on the lands around the airport and they need meaningful engagement at this point. Their community is being destroyed and generations of farming families are going to see a massive change in their way of life so the Minister should ensure they are looked after adequately.
In regard to State airports, the Minister has spoken about a capacity review and the possibility of a third terminal at Dublin Airport. Shannon Airport is operating under capacity. In terms of balanced regional development, it would make more efficient use of natural resources to see how we could use Shannon Airport, which has the largest runway in Europe, pre-clearance and a good road network. There is no reason people could not come to Shannon rather than Dublin.
On the rail network review, I had a cursory look at the document. I travel the Limerick to Dublin rail route quite often, which is also the Cork to Dublin line. Some 35% of passengers go by that line but the mobile and broadband coverage are dire, something I did not see in the report. If we are to encourage people to travel by rail in the modern world their phones cannot be dropping every two minutes but one cannot have a normal conversation by mobile phone on a train. Broadband coverage is hit and miss - some days it works and some days it does not. If those two issues were corrected it would encourage a lot more people to travel by rail and maybe the financial deficiencies which Irish Rail has would be significantly ameliorated.
I was enthusiastic about the reopening of the initial planning process for the M20 motorway from Limerick to Cork and I welcome that it is happening. I understand that it is a leap of faith and will involve €1 million, in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, which briefed the transport committee this morning. It will allow us, prior to the mid-term capital review, to look again at the work that was done when the project was suspended back in November 2011 and to look at the planning that was done in respect of the existing route.
We must use the nine months up to the mid-term capital review in an efficient manner. The mid-term capital review will feed into the decision-making process of the Minister and the Government. The review is not part of the capital review programme but it would be extremely beneficial to us in the southern part of the country and in Limerick.
I note that the bid the Minister has made for the Rugby World Cup will include Thomond Park in Limerick, Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork, Pearse Stadium in Galway and MacHale Park in Castlebar, County Mayo. It would be wonderful to have a proper road network to link all of these areas instead of bottlenecks. Not all elements of the route are poor. Everyone knows that the route to Buttevant is dire. Many of my constituents in Limerick commute daily to Cork and there have been many fatalities on the existing N20 route. I thank the Minister and commend him on granting approval to Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, to proceed with inhouse work on the initial planning phase to prepare a brief for consultants. While approval has not been granted to the consultants as yet, efficient use will be made of the time available between now and the mid-term capital review. The initiative will enable the Minister to make an informed decision on putting the route in place. I feel strongly about this matter. The initiative has been welcomed by people who live in the region. I understand that the initiative does not grant approval for the route to go ahead but it allows due diligence to recommence. In November 2011 the route had reached An Bord Pleanála, which was the penultimate or final stage. A lot of that work can be used again and, thus, the cost of €1 million will prove to be an efficient use of taxpayers' money. I sincerely thank the Minister for allowing the TII, formerly known as the National Roads Authority, to proceed with inhouse work in advance of the mid-term capital review that is due to take place in 2017.
Before the Minister responds, I call Senator Higgins and she has three minutes.
I thank the Acting Chairman and promise to be brisk.
I welcome the Minister to the House. I welcome his commitment to increased funding for public transport. While value for money is an important part of the discussion on public transport, I urge the Minister to not allow value for money to cloud the fact that public transport is primarily an essential public service. It is important that the public service subvention is not framed during the discussion as a subsidy to semi-State companies. It should be framed as public investment in essential public infrastructure. There must be wide recognition and monitoring of the benefits that may not appear on the balance books of those companies but in the participation and connectivity that they make possible. It is vital that we highlight these aspects.
We need to consider the cost of non-investment in public transport. I encourage the Minister to continue to press for investment in this area by making the case for what happens in the absence of public infrastructure and transport. In such cases we know that the cost is carried by individuals and communities. There are also costs in terms of Ireland's likely failure to meet its climate change obligations with a real and concrete fine of an estimated €6 billion reported in newspapers today. I welcome the Minister's recognition of climate change mitigation. I would like to know more about how he plans to engage with the national mitigation plan.
We must not simply monitor the take-up of various public transport services be they bus, rail or other means. We must consider creative ways to promote the use of these services. We must move beyond a simple business frame into a wider societal transformation plane that we need for public transport. The rail review must have an ambitious scope. It should not simply identify gaps or potential savings. It must come up with ambitious proposals to expand rail and bus services. In that regard, I encourage the Minister to ensure that we do not ever again make the kinds of mistakes that were made with the private contract that was issued for toll roads, which tied us into a countervening tendency.
My focus is on a key area that the Minister has not made a strong statement on and I urge him to do so today. He has held consultations in various areas. We have already had consultation on the national cycle policy framework of 2009. What are the plans for the delivery and implementation of the framework? Is it planned to appoint a national cycling officer? How does the Minister propose to achieve the target of having 10% of all journeys on a bicycle in both urban and rural areas versus the fewer than 2% at the moment? Will he set a spending target for cycling infrastructure for the National Transport Authority?
I ask the Senator to conclude.
We need infrastructure. We must move towards a world where 50% of women and men and, like in many other countries, where young children and old people feel it is safe to use the roads. All of this requires infrastructure.
Finally, the Minister has mentioned that we are an island nation. I ask him to address my particular concern about ferries to the Aran Islands. There is a likelihood that the ferry to Inishmore may cease next week. There has been considerable alarm expressed and as the Wild Atlantic Way was mentioned during our discussion, perhaps the Minister will address these concerns.
I will allow Senator Reilly to speak for 30 seconds.
I thank the Acting Chairman for her indulgence.
I welcome the Minister to the House. I have asked for him to be invited in here to discuss the metro. I would be pleased to hear what he has to tell us about the plans to continue the progress on this hugely important issue.
I am a bit concerned about the comments that some of my Dublin colleagues have made about Dublin Airport. I do not believe that it is a case of Dublin Airport versus the regions. I believe there is enough traffic for both options to be developed. We must make sure that all of the job opportunities that arise from a further development of the airport are not lost due to short-sightedness.
I wish to make a final plea to the Minister for a study to be conducted on regional rail services. We now have an excellent road network that allows people to reach Galway in just over two hours so there is no incentive for people to take a train. Other countries have a rail system that covers the same distance in one hour. Therefore, an upgrade of the rail service and a study on same is required.
On a point of clarification, the Minister stated "I welcomed the decision taken by the DAA to proceed with the development of a second runway at Dublin Airport." Does that mean there will not be a third runway?
It is fine if the Minister wishes to address that further contribution in due course. Does the Leader wish to comment?
I welcome the Minister to the House. On a point of information, when he made his opening remarks he exceeded the allocated time. Is he amenable to coming back to the House as ten members at least, through their Whips, have intimated that they want to contribute to this important debate? If he prefers we can hold his reply over until another day.
We will agree to send all of our names.
We will conclude statements today. We would be happy if the Minister was amenable to continuing the debate in the near future. I call on him to commence his reply.
I apologise for going on for so long but I could have continued for another hour. I was not instructed that my script should be any shorter. I did indulge myself a bit by talking off-script about the Rugby World Cup and a couple of other things but I just thought that they were important.
There is no time limit so there is no need for the Minister to apologise. It just means we need to have him back. If he returns then it is his own fault.
In my response earlier I had already told the House that I am happy to return.
I am sorry to cut across the Minister's reply but I wish to advise him that we must finish by 2.45 p.m. because another matter has been scheduled to commence at that time.
I will go through the issues raised as quickly as I can and I shall ask the next time whether there is a time limit.
I thank the Minister and we will be delighted to have him back.
I will deal with common questions first and then I shall go through them in order.
Senators Humphreys, O'Mahony, Boyhan and others have asked me about various State boards, in particular the Road Safety Authority, the Irish Sports Council, Iarnród Éireann and others. There are at least 40 vacancies in boards under the remit of my Department. I have made reappointments, as referred to by Senator Boyhan, in the case of the RSA and in other boards where they are important such as, for example, in situations where someone is needed on an audit committee or somewhere like that. I shall continue making such appointments.
On State boards such as the Road Safety Authority and Irish Sports Council, I do not find the Public Appointments Service, PAS, system, as it currently operates, satisfactory. That is the reason the appointments in question have not been made. I will give a couple of examples which I also referred to at a committee meeting. While it is fashionable to blame one's predecessor for everything, some of these vacancies were left by my predecessor. I refer specifically to vacancies in the RSA, the Irish Sports Council and CIE. I will explain how this was done to help Senators understand the reason I have not filled the relevant vacancies.
The relevant Department gives the Public Appointments Service a set a criteria for appointments to State boards. The PAS meets and a committee is established consisting primarily of departmental officials. This committee collects all the curricula vitae submitted in response to the position being advertised on the publicjobs.ie website. It then selects from this group of applicants those individuals whose qualifications meet the criteria set down and submits these names to the Minister.
In the cases I have come across, not a single interview has been done. Criteria were set out in the cases of the RSA and Irish Sports Council and in the latter case, they were so broad that virtually anyone in the country with an interest in sport would have qualified for the position. The committee assesses the curricula vitae it receives for perhaps one day before submitting the names to the Minister. Senator O'Mahony should forgive me if any of the figures I provide are wrong but in the case of the Irish Sports Council, there were two vacancies to be filled, the PAS committee submitted 34 names to the Minister and no interviews were conducted. That is not a proper selection process. This Irish Sports Council case was one of those I inherited. As Minister, having looked through 34 names, how in the name of God am I meant to make a selection unless I interview all of the candidates, which I clearly cannot do? The system is inadequate.
In the case of the RSA, to which the Senator referred, 21 names were submitted to the Minister for three vacancies. The same principle applies. I have made inquiries about this and as far as I know, not a single interview was held in that case. In all cases in which the PAS makes selections for my Department - I believe this is also true of other Departments - the committee refuses to rank candidates and sends the applications to the Minister in paper format only. I am not sure if the qualifications cited by candidates are verified before the Minister makes a choice. The PAS replaced a system that may have been worse and basically involved the Minister appointing people without any form of siphoning or selection process. It is absolutely wrong that I should take 34 names and select so-and-so and so-and-so on the basis of their curricula vitae. There must be a more satisfactory way of doing these things and I am trying to devise one. The reason is I realise there is a necessity in the case of semi-State and State agencies to have a variety of people with a variety of qualifications.
Incidentally, I do not believe that big boards make better boards. The Road Safety Authority sought to increase the size of its board such that it would be larger than the board of AIB. I do not see the point of a State agency having more people on its board than are on the board of one of the largest companies in the country.
We must not assume that boards need to have experts or persons with qualifications in every single aspect of the role of the company or agency in question in order that it can shadow executives. That is the purpose of executives. The board needs people with other qualifications as well, which is the reason the vacancies to which the Senator refers have not been filled.
I have not left any agency or body with an inquorate board at any stage. I have made reappointments to boards when recommendations have been made to keep them quorate. However, there must be a better and more efficient way of doing this, one which does not result in a very cursory system of appointments.
I will start by responding to Senator Ned O'Sullivan.
I was about to ask the Minister to conclude.
Some Senators have waited patiently for two hours to hear a response from the Minister. I ask the Chair to give him five minutes to respond.
I apologise but I am bound by the order of the House.
Senators are asking for-----
Excuse me, Senator, please allow me to respond. I fully appreciate the point and I worked as best I could to give everyone present an opportunity to contribute. I could not accommodate four of my Fine Gael Party colleagues who wanted to speak. While I understand the issue, I am bound by the order of the House when I am in the Chair. That is how the House works.
The way in which business has been done today has been disrespectful to the Senators who stayed in the Chamber for two hours waiting for answers to their questions. It is unacceptable to have Senators arrive in the House at the end of the debate seeking an opportunity to speak.
Senator Mac Lochlainn should withdraw that remark. We have been waiting to speak but have been unable to do so.
The Senators in question have not been waiting in the Chamber.
The Senator is being unfair. We followed the debate on the monitors in our offices. He should withdraw his comment.
I will not allow a debate on the issue. If the Leader wishes to amend the Order of Business, that will be fine with me.
I ask him to do so.
He is not here.
Who is the Acting Leader?
On a point of order, the Minister has not responded to a small number of issues. In the interests of clarity and completeness, I ask that he be allowed a further five minutes to conclude the debate. That would make sense in terms of the workings of the House.
I gave the Minister some leeway and we are losing further time discussing the issue. I will allow him another five minutes to respond and insist that he return to the House soon.
I thank the Acting Chairman.
I will proceed as quickly as possible.
I apologise for putting the Minister under pressure.
That is fine.
Senator Ned O'Sullivan spoke about the laid-back attitude taken towards sports capital grants. Nobody has taken a less laid-back attitude to sports capital grants than I have. When I came into office it was highly doubtful that any sports capital grants would be allocated and none had been awarded the previous year. As announced in the House and endorsed by me today, sports capital grants will be available and terms will be issued shortly. The allocation will be open and generous because sports capital grants are a priority and I am aware of their value.
Senator O'Sullivan also asked me to comment on hotel pricing in Dublin. I agree that prices are too high. I made a speech to one of the hotel groups recently in which I put them on notice that they are too high and that Dublin hotels were killing the goose that laid the golden egg. The Senator is correct and I agree with him that Dublin hotels will have to watch out.
On the issue of roads, a mid-term capital review has been launched and will be completed next year. I hope many of the roads issues raised by Senators will be addressed in the review. The sum of money provided for roads this year was not great. As Senators are aware, it is difficult enough to maintain roads in a steady state, as it is known, and there is very little money available for this purpose. Funding will accelerate in the coming years and I hope we will be able to produce some fairly good news for Senators in various places, as we have done.
Senator Kieran O'Donnell raised the issue of the N20. He has been annoyingly persistent on that issue and we have been able, eventually, to provide him with some comfort that the issue is being addressed. The design and other preparatory work for the project are due to be done shortly. The Senator got hold of that information either before I did or almost simultaneously and managed to spread the news all over Limerick yesterday. That was not bad because it was certainly good news for him.
Senator Victor Boyhan referred to Iarnród Éireann and the RSA. I have answered that question.
On the national ports policy, I will not be frightened to make any decision. If the relevant parties do not reach an agreement, I will be happy to make a decision. That is a given; it is included in the legislation and I will do it, but it would be wrong for me to trample on the process since there is due diligence and negotiations are taking place.
On the rail review, there are absolutely no closures planned. Even subject to political provocation from County Tipperary, I have no intention of closing any railway. That is a matter that is being addressed through public consultation. When those concerned return to me, decisions will have to be made, but the Government has absolutely issued no direction in that regard. It has made no decisions whatsoever and I have no intention of engaging in any closure, certainly at the moment. Let us see what comes from the consultation process.
A good point was made about the GAA and the Rugby World Cup. We should all pay tribute to the GAA for what it has done and the contribution it has made. I do not know the financial implications for it, but the historical significance to me of the fact that the GAA and the IRFU can work in tandem to this extent is fantastic. It is a great tribute to the GAA that it is co-operating in this way.
I have nothing to add on the issue of scrambling bikes. The Senator concerned will be familiar with what I said in the last Commencement debate on this issue during which I believe I indicated I would be willing to examine it in a new light.
I thank Senator John O'Mahony for acknowledging the difficulties in even keeping up with what was happening on the roads, particularly in his area. With regard to aviation, he should note that Knock airport is in no particular danger. It is very lucky in some ways because it has Ryanair operating from it. The commitment of Ryanair, although sometimes doubted, means that the airport is used much more. It deals with a fantastic number of passengers. Neither my Department nor I have any intention of threatening the airports in counties Donegal and Kerry. The Senator will be familiar with the fact that Waterford Airport is aggressively looking for a carrier so as to keep operating. The suggestion there is an agenda to do something with the regional airports that would be difficult for the associated communities does not arise.
The Senator addressed the issue of ticketing governance and the Olympic Council of Ireland, OCI. The public consultation process is starting tomorrow and governance is very high on the list in that regard and something in which many vested interests will have an interest. On the OCI issue which was raised by several Members, I do not want to say very much. I would love to say a lot about it, but, as everybody knows, I am constrained by the Moran inquiry.
I do not know whether someone is allowed to use props or visuals in this House, but Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn did so very well in pointing to the empty landscape. It would not be right for me to hold out too much hope for the provision of a railway line to County Donegal. That would be wrong. However, I understand the issue the Senator has with roads, particularly the A5. It is a very important issue. County Donegal is a black spot and the A5 project has been delayed because of funding problems, but it will be the first item on my agenda at the meeting of the North–South Ministerial Council in Armagh on Friday. I do not know whether that is any comfort to the Senator, but it was the first item on my agenda at the Cabinet meeting this morning. I am to meet my ministerial counterpart at the North–South Ministerial Council meeting. That Minister is, I believe, a member of the Senator's party. The delay in advancing some of the North–South projects, particularly the A5 project, gives cause for concern. I recognise what the Senator says about it and will do what I can at the meeting to accelerate progress.
It is welcome that Celtic Park is to be part of the bid for the Rugby World Cup. Let me remind Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn of a couple of matters. He said there was no air link between Dublin and Derry and that it would be wonderful if there were a better connection by the time the Rugby World Cup was held, especially if we were to win it in 2023. I point out to the many people who are asking how we will do various things in the timeframe outlined that 2023 is seven years away. There really is a tremendous opportunity, particularly with the mid-term capital review, to develop the infrastructure required if there are gaps, but there are far fewer than there were. The Taoiseach says he will have a reshuffle which I suspect will take place before 2023. As far as I am concerned, the infrastructure will be in place by the time in question. I will do everything possible to make realistic commitments, if necessary, before the bid for the Rugby World Cup is finalised in November next year.
We are approximately 13 minutes over time and the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Coveney, is waiting in the anteroom. I apologise to the Senators whose questions have not been answered. Would it be possible for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, or his officials to email Senators the responses to these questions, if possible?
That is fine.
We will arrange to have the Minister back soon.
I will communicate with them.
I thank the Minister.