Written Answers Nos. 263-271
263. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if there are any proposed plans to close the children's accident and emergency in Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, at midnight in the next few months and where is it proposed to send children in emergency situations [46825/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
264. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health is the location of a Primary Health Care in Fettercairn,Tallaght, Dublin is a priority or on his list, in view of the fact that no general practitioner or doctor is based or located in this specially designated disadvantaged / RAPID area that has approximately 7,500 people living there [46826/12]
View answerDelivery of health care services and appropriate infrastructure in a service matter. Therefore your question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
265. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when occupational therapy will be offered as promised to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46827/12]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
266. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of home help hours that were cut from Dublin north east as a result of cutbacks announced in Budget 2012; the number of further hours in Dublin north east as a result of the decision to cut a further €8 million in spending on home help hours between now and year end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46833/12]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
267. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the names of all of the organisations located in areas (details supplied) in Dublin that have applied for sports capital grants under the 2012 programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46558/12]
View answerA list of Dublin applicants under the 2012 Sports Capital Programme will be provided directly to the Deputy.
268. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider reintroducing some form of local improvement scheme funding in the budget 2013; his views on whether suspending this scheme was yet another blow to rural Ireland; if he will take in consideration that a drainage works and surface dressing was carried out by the local authority with a contribution from residents and land owners; his views on the fact that the cost now involved makes it impossible for many families and persons to have their roads resurfaced; if his attention has been drawn to the fact there are hundreds of such roads in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46581/12]
View answerState grants available to supplement expenditure by local authorities on the maintenance of regional and local roads have been reduced significantly and there will be further cuts over the next few years. The scale of the cuts have necessitated that some grant programmes be curtailed or ended. In making adjustments to the regional and local roads allocations the primary aim has been, as far as is possible, to protect previous investment in the road network and use the available funding to maintain and restore public roads, including those in rural areas. Given that priority, it was not possible this year to assist with any works on private roads. The feasibility of providing funding to assist with maintenance of private roads will be reviewed in the context of the monies available under the 2013 grant allocations for regional and local roads. In the interim, it is open to local authorities to continue to operate the scheme or a similar scheme from their own resources and I am sure they will do if they consider it to be a good use of limited resources.
269. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider a review of rail fares charged by Irish Rail for travel between regional towns as cities as average single rail fares often far exceed the equivalent return bus fare (details supplied); if he will provide information on the capacity for the Tralee, County Kerry, to County Cork route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46597/12]
View answerThe issue raised by the Deputy is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA), in conjunction with Iarnród Éireann. I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
270. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is a North South Co-operation unit in his Department; the number of staff working in the North South Co-operation unit; the number of staff who have worked in the North South Co-operation unit in each year since 2007. [46624/12]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the current configuration of my Department came into operation in 2011 with Tourism and Sport previously being part of the then Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport, bringing two of the key areas for cooperation under the Good Friday Agreement, tourism and transport, together, as well as bringing a North/South body established under that Agreement, Tourism Ireland, under my Department's aegis. These areas are so important and deal with such a range of matters that, in practice, north/south cooperation is mainstreamed into day-to-day work right across the Department. The divisions and agencies dealing with various policy areas have regular interaction with their colleagues in Northern Ireland.
To give a practical example of this mainstreaming, the recent North South Ministerial Council agreed the timetable for the mutual recognition of penalty points by 31 December 2014. This work will be carried out as part of the day to day work of the Road Safety division within my Department and is not separately carried by members of a North/South unit.
Cross-Departmental cooperation on North/South matters is overseen within my Department by the Tourism Marketing & Impact Assessment Unit and is supported by 1 Principal Officer, 1 Assistant Principal and 1 Higher Executive Officer led by the relevant Assistant Secretary. Responsibility rests within this unit as it also deals with oversight of Tourism Ireland, the only North South body under the aegis of my Department. The Deputy will also be aware that the North South Ministerial Council meets regularly in both Transport and Tourism Sectorial formats to discuss areas of cooperation in these fields.
271. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps being taken in the UK, US and Australian markets to promote the Gathering 2013; the budget allocated to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46834/12]
View answerThe matter raised is an operational one for Tourism Ireland Limited as the body responsible for promoting the island of Ireland as a visitor destination overseas. I have referred the Deputy's Question to Tourism Ireland for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
