Written Answers Nos. 696-718
696. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health if there is evidence to support the use of art assist machines (details supplied), for patients with peripheral vascular disease and in the event that this evidence is available the reason all areas of the Health Service Executive does not support the supply of this product for use by patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46498/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
697. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46536/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
698. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a hospital appointment in respect of person (details supplied) in Dublin 17 [46540/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
699. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) is entitled to a refund of medication expenses [46541/12]
View answerSince 1 July 2011, the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) is responsible for the national administration of the Medical Card/GP Visit Card schemes. If individuals feel they have an entitlement to a refund, they should submit all relevant receipts to the Customer Relations Management Unit, Primary Care Reimbursement Service, HSE. Claims for refunds are processed on a case by case basis. If a person had eligibility and, through no fault of his/her own incurred medical costs which should have been covered by the GMS scheme, that amount is reimbursed. As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
700. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding funding in respect of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46543/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
702. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in a tabular form a list of quasi-governmental organisations and agencies that have been created since 9 March 2011;the date on which the body was created; the name of the body; the 2012 budget for the body; the number of employees of the body and if the body engages manpower resources from outside the body. [47127/12]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded as soon as it is available.
703. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding car parking in an area (details supplied) in Dublin 3. [46331/12]
View answerAs Minister I have responsibility for the laws relating to parking on public roads. Within the options provided by these laws, it is a matter for the relevant local authority to decide what are the appropriate controls to apply to parking on a given street, including whether to apply time limits to parking at given locations, paid parking or indeed to ban parking at such locations. If the parking issue by the Deputy relates to legal parking to which residents object, then the matter should be raised by the residents with the local authority. If the parking concerned is not legal, then it should be again raised with the local authority for enforcemnet by the authority's traffic wardens or the Garda Síochána, who also have responsibility for enforcing traffic and parking regulations.
704. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the administration costs of CIE and Bus Éireann; the percentage of their total budget in administrative costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45638/12]
View answerThe issue raised is a matter for CIÉ and its subsidiary, Bus Éireann, and I have referred the Deputy's question to CIÉ for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
705. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the decision to cut bus routes is taken by him, The National Transport Authority or Bus Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45726/12]
View answerBus Éireann currently operates two types of public service; commercial services operating under the Expressway brand, which are operated under licences granted by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and socially necessary but financially unviable services, known as Public service Obligation (PSO) services, which are operated under a contract with the NTA. The NTA makes a payment to the two bus companies that operate the PSO services for those services.
The legislation governing the licensing of commercial public bus passenger services, such as Expressway, is the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009. Responsibility for the licensing of Public Bus Passenger Services rests with the National Transport Authority (NTA). The NTA published, in November 2010, new Guidelines for the licensing of public bus services which set out the basis for a reformed licensing system for commercial bus passenger services in the State. There is nothing to prevent Bus Éireann from applying for an amendment to a licence in respect of such a service. As part of its Expressway turnaround plan, Bus Éireann is making changes to a number of its commercial services to meet the customer demand for limited stop services with quicker journey times and airport connections so that such services are commercially viable. Failure to react to this market demand and competitive pressures would result in a reduction and/or loss of Expressway services and jobs.
Bus Éireann may also propose route changes to services provided by the company under its PSO contract with the NTA. Any such proposals are subject to negotiation with the National Transport Authority, who may accept, reject or modify any requested change to a PSO service.
706. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form all appointments to State boards under his ambit since the Government took office; when the person was appointed; if the position entitles the holder to remuneration and if so the amount in each case; if the appointment was made in accordance with new procedures whereby Departments has to invite expressions of interest from the public in vacancies on the boards under their aegis. [45812/12]
View answer707. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of chairs of State boards that have been appointed since the Government came into office; if there is a remuneration for the position and if so the amount of same; if the appointee was required to go before Oireachtas Committees to discuss what they have to offer to the particular Board or Committee to which they are being appointed. [45828/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 706 and 707 together.
Full details of State Board appointments including Chairpersons, are available on the Department's website as are the fee levels approved by Government for each agency. Details of the actual fees paid to a director in any year are available from the annual report of the relevant agency. Since my Department advertised new procedures for appointment to boards on Friday 8th April 2011, all appointments from that date have followed these procedures. However, given the importance of ensuring the right mix of skills and experience on every board, appointments are not necessarily confined to those who have made an expression of interest. In this context, I refer the Deputy to Dáil Question No:1944 of Tuesday 18th September last which lists all board appointments made following the public advertisement process. The position has not changed since then. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, prior to the appointment of a new Chairperson they will appear before the joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications.
708. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 216 of 26 September 2012, if he will provide a full response [45894/12]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my response to his earlier Question in which it was explained that the statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the National Roads Authority under Part V of the Roads Act, 1993, as amended. The issues raised by the Deputy are, accordingly, matters that are most properly dealt with by the National Roads Authority.
It is noted that the Deputy is now seeking additional information to that which was initially sought and provided by the NRA in connection with the Deputy’s previous question. Accordingly, noting the position outlined above, I have referred the Deputy’s supplementary questions to the NRA and asked them to provide the additional information sought, bearing commercial and contractual confidentiality in mind. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
709. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the concerns about the reliability of NCT testing due to the considerable pressure put on inspectors to carry out examinations of vehicles in a shorter time than is possible under normal circumstances; and the measures he intends to take to ensure that all procedures required for proper testing of vehicles are abided by. [45901/12]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006) the Road Safety Authority has responsibility for the delivery of the National Car Test. In exercising its supervisory role in monitoring the delivery of the NCT, the Authority appointed Price Waterhouse Coopers and the Automobile Association to monitor the ongoing compliance of Applus+ in regard to its performance and acceptable standards contained in the Project Agreement. Standards measured include premises, test equipment, staff, test arrangements, facilities management, financial management, information technology infrastructure and operations, customer service and provision of public information. In addition to this, there is regular ongoing contact between the RSA and my Department on matters pertaining to the NCT.
While it is neither practical nor affordable to observe every one of the 1.4 million tests and re-tests conducted each year across Ireland’s network of 47 test centres, I understand that the oversight arrangements of the RSA seek to verify independently the quality and integrity of NCT testing. The supervisory mechanisms employed by the RSA use a range of tools (inspections, data trend analysis, check-tests and consistency tests amongst them) to build a statistical and evidential foundation of data that provides confidence of adherence to standards and performance requirements. These supervisory mechanisms are continually subject to review and improvement, involving not only the introduction of new types and volumes of inspections, but also analysis of new data sets and the introduction of new processes and technologies.
The need for consistently high vehicle testing standards is recognised, irrespective of the test centre at which any vehicle is tested, the vehicle inspector who tests it or the circumstances in which it is tested. Since 2005 the average test duration has remained at about 20 minutes and independent reviews have confirmed that the test result is correct in more than 99% of cases.
710. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide funding in the 2013 Budget for the N71 road from Kenmare through Bonane; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45931/12]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for the NRA in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act. Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy’s question to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
711. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will lay before the Dail Éireann the business case which justifies the reported spending of €495,000 by Tourism Ireland on the Ireland.com domain name, acquired from the Irish Times. [45986/12]
View answer712. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he was consulted on and subsequently approved the spending by Tourism Ireland of €495,000 on the purchase of the domain name Ireland.com from the Irish Times; the date on which he was first consulted and the date on which he provided any approval. [45987/12]
View answer716. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason Tourism Ireland which has purchased Ireland.com are shutting down the email address by 7 November 2012, which will result in chaos for subscribers who have numerous contact details built up over the years, and who now find themselves with just a three week notice period in which to deal with this unanticipated turn of events; if the closing down date of the 7 November 2012, will be extended to the 31 December 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46341/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 711, 712 and 716 together.
As I have previously stated, the decision to purchase the domain name “Ireland.com” from the Irish Times, to promote the island of Ireland overseas on the web, and an analysis of a business case in this regard are operational matters for Tourism Ireland Limited and its Board. The issue of accommodating existing @ireland.com email address holders in as helpful and fair a manner as possible is the responsibility of the Irish Times.
As the Deputies will be aware, Tourism Ireland was established under the framework of the Belfast Agreement of Good Friday 1998. It is jointly funded by the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, and operates under the auspices of the North/South Ministerial Council through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland and my Department here.
With regard to consultations with my Department, Tourism Ireland first informed my Department in July 2012 that the opportunity to acquire the domain name "ireland.com" had arisen. The question of when I approved the purchase does not arise as it was an operational decision with the purchase price coming from existing resources allocated to the agency for the exercise of its functions. No supplementary or specific allocation is being made to Tourism Ireland from my Department for the purchase. In terms of the value for money involved, I understand that Tourism Ireland’s projections suggest that the costs of the acquisition will be fully recouped in just over three years.
Reverting to the issue of the existing email subscribers, I understand that the Irish Times have contacted all @Ireland.com subscribers to advise them that the email service will be discontinued from November 7th 2012 in terms of sending or receiving messages. Users will however, be able to access their account until December 7th for the purpose of transferring any data currently saved on their account. In order to help users to move easily to a new provider, I am informed that the Irish Times has a helpline in operation from 8 a.m to 8 p.m. and there is also a step-by-step guide available on the Ireland.com website to assist their customers with the transition. I obviously share the desire to ensure that nobody is inconvenienced by the purchase of the domain name. However, Tourism Ireland only bought the domain name, www.ireland.com, and not the customer database of email subscribers. Nevertheless, I understand that Tourism Ireland is in direct contact with the Irish Times to see if any further measures can be taken to minimise the inconvenience to existing e-mail account holders.
713. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on a matter regarding taxi signage (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46001/12]
View answerThe National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of the taxi industry under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003, and is also the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011. Action 31 of the Taxi Regulation Review Report in 2011 proposes the introduction of a distinctive branding on taxis and wheelchair accessible taxis by means of a semi-permanent decal (vinyl adhesive material printed with a particular design) to be applied to the doors on either side of the vehicle, incorporating the umbrella 'Transport for Ireland' design. The aim of the branding is to provide greater recognition of taxis, promote greater professionalism of the industry and to reduce the potential for unlicensed vehicles to operate as taxis. The National Transport Authority is now progressing with the implementation of the taxi “branding” as set out in that report.
The current licensing requirements require that taxi vehicles are fitted with a “tamperproof” licensing disc, which is affixed to both the front and rear windscreens by a contractor on behalf of the National Transport Authority. While it is acknowledged that the requirement for a decal on the side of the vehicle will render it more visible as a taxi, it is still the case that, even without the roof sign, the vehicle is always identifiable as a taxi to someone knowledgeable about taxi vehicles through those tamper-proof discs affixed to the vehicle. While I note the concerns expressed about the new signage I do not think that they outweigh the benefits of more visible branding of taxis.
714. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will retain Valentia coastguard station in County Kerry; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Valentia responds to two thirds of the mayday calls around the coast and is responsible for saving hundreds of lives over many years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46275/12]
View answerI recognise the huge contribution and personal commitment that Coast Guard staff and volunteers have made,and continue to make, to the successful delivery of Ireland's maritime safety and emergency response service. The recent Value for Money reviews of the Coast Guard and Marine Survey Office in my Department have identified a number of weaknesses in our marine emergency response services which have to be addressed. In response, I have informed the Government that I will consider the matters raised in the reports and prepare an action plan to address the gaps in services identified. I made it clear when publishing the reports that I did not propose to accept or reject any of the recommendations in the reports until I have considered the issues in full. Whilst this process may require tough decisions my intention is to address the services gaps identified, some of which have been evident for a number of years, and to create a more efficient and effective service.
In the main, these changes are not about saving money but rather they are about using existing staff and other resources more efficiently to strengthen the work of the Coast Guard and the Marine Survey Office, to improve maritime safety and the delivery of maritime services by my Department. For the Deputy's information, there is no consideration being given by me to the location of a so-called 'redundancy' centre in Blanchardstown or the Dublin 15 area, which I understand has been the subject of some speculation.
715. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the date on which the Econtourism Handbook (details supplied) due for publication in Spring 2012,will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46328/12]
View answerThe matter raised is an operational one for Fáilte Ireland. I have referred the Deputy's Question to the agency for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
717. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details on a road expansion (details supplied) currently being undertaken; if he will clarify the cost to the Exchequer of this project; and if he will clarify if it is being carried out as part of a public-private partnership. [46352/12]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are generally a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. In this case I understand that the improvement works are being implemented by the Dublin Airport Authority under the terms of the planning permission for Terminal 2. Once the works are complete the roadway will become the responsibility of the Fingal County Council. I also understand that the National Transport Authority has provided a contribution towards the works allowing for the provison of bus lanes, cycleways and pedestrian facilities.
718. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will enact section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 2010; the reason there has been such a delay in implementing this section of the 2010 Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46376/12]
View answerSection 44 of the Road Traffic Act 2010, when commenced, will provide, on receipt of a court summons, for a third and final opportunity to pay the original fixed charge, increased by 100%, up to 7 days before the matter is to be dealt with by the courts. This provision was included in the 2010 Act in consultation with the Courts Service and the Garda Síochána. Officials from my Department are in consultation with the Department of Justice and Equality and the Gardaí regarding the commencement of the provisions.
The Department of Justice and Equality has recently advised that the technical and administrative measures required to commence this section remain under evaluation and this assessment is currently receiving careful attention. As soon as the Department of Justice and Equality advise that the technical and administrative measures are resolved, I shall immediately commence Section 44.
