Written Answers Nos. 647-667
648. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health the progress made to date to reduce waiting lists for orthodontic treatment in the mid west region (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51577/12]
View answerAn independent review of Orthodontic Services has been commissioned by the HSE. The outcome of this review will give guidance as to what changes will be desirable to provide the best model of care delivery nationally, given current resources and expected future demand for services.
651. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons working in commercial semi-State companies, of which he is the shareholder, including employees, contractors and consultants, that were paid amounts by the company in excess of €100,000 in 2011; the total number of personnel in question; the total amount paid above that level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50831/12]
View answer653. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons working in commercial semi-State companies, of which he is the shareholder, including employees, contractors and consultants, that were paid amounts by the company in excess of €100,000; the total number of personnel in question and the total amount paid above that level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50926/12]
View answer654. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons retired from commercial semi-State companies, of which he is the shareholder, in receipt of pensions in excess of €100,000; the number of persons in receipt of amounts above that level and the total cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50927/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 651, 653 and 654 together.
The information requested by the Deputy is a matter for the commercial State bodies themselves. I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the various commercial State bodies under my Department's aegis for their response. If the Deputy does not receive a reply from the bodies within ten working days, please advise my private office.
652. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason Ireland is not being promoted as a tourist destination on the ground at major Irish festivals in places such as Maryland, Catskills and Pittsburgh; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50838/12]
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.
655. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to provide funding for local improvement schemes in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50938/12]
View answerThe Local Improvements Scheme provided funding for the maintenance and improvement of private roadways which are, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant landowner.
State 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.
656. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide bridge replacement funding for non-national roads in 2013 and in particular for the replacement of Fintra Bridge on the R263 in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50939/12]
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 a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants.
Earlier this year, the National Roads Authority (NRA) invited applications for consideration for funding in 2013 under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme. Among the projects submitted by Donegal County Council was an application for R263 Fintragh Bridge. All applications will be considered by the NRA and by my Department having regard to compliance with the eligibility criteria, the need to prioritise projects, competing demands from other local authorities and the funding available in 2013.
I will announce the 2013 regional and local road grant allocations early in the new year.
657. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way the additional €36 million public service obligation for CIE will be split between Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Bus Éireann; the projections for the CIE PSO for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51014/12]
View answerOn 24th July the Government approved an increase in the 2012 subvention to CIÉ by €36 million to €278m in order to protect public transport services. To date additional subvention of €16 million has been allocated leaving up to €20 million still available.
The allocation of the additional subvention to the CIÉ companies is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have referred this matter to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
The PSO allocation for 2013, as set down in the Comprehensive Expenditure Review, is €226.516 million.
658. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the State is paying significant sums annually to some of the companies that built roads and tunnels under public/private partnerships because traffic numbers did not reach the targets set in the contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51017/12]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The implementation of individual national road schemes, including Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2007. In addition, 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 NRA under Part V of the Roads Act (as amended). The contracts for the privately-operated toll schemes are, therefore, commercial agreements between the NRA and the PPP concessionaires concerned.
Two PPP contracts, the M3 Clonee-Kells PPP and the Limerick Tunnel PPP, incorporate a traffic guarantee mechanism. With regard to the remaining PPP schemes, all traffic risk remains with the operator while the State stands to benefit from the revenue share arrangement where the average daily traffic ("ADT") exceeds scheme specific predefined threshold traffic. Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for further reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
659. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in addition to the plans for the 2013 Gathering, the other intitiatives and plans he has to promote tourism here over the coming years; the number of overseas visitors he expects here for the years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51090/12]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, primary responsibility for promoting Ireland as a tourist destination is an operational matter for the tourism agencies. Obviously The Gathering Ireland 2013 will be the main focus for tourism promotion next year.
The Government has identified tourism as one of the key drivers of economic recovery and has set out its medium term priorities in the Programme for Government. As well as encouraging increased international access, these include prioritising the Tourism Marketing Fund, exploring the possibility of a new agreement on visitor visas with the UK, offering tourists the opportunity to visit the UK and Ireland with one visa, developing emerging long haul markets such as China, Russia, India and the Middle East, and recovery of market share in Britain. At home, priorities include improving the e-capability of our tourism product, targeting available resources at developing and co-ordinating niche tourism products and activity packages that are attractive to international visitors, including event tourism. Significant progress has been made across these areas, in the Jobs Initiative and by the agencies on the ground, and they will continue to be pursued over the next few years.
While external factors including global economic conditions impact significantly on visitor numbers to any destination, my Department's Statement of Strategy has set a target of 8 million visits to Ireland in 2015. In terms of further initiatives and plans to achieve this target, Tourism Ireland, as the body responsible for promoting the island of Ireland as a visitor destination overseas will be preparing a Corporate Plan, based on the Programmes for Government north and south, setting out its objectives and targets for the period 2014 to 2016 for approval by the North South Ministerial Council next year.
660. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will contact the Chief Executive Officer of Iarnród Éireann and ask the reason the ticket office at (details supplied) is closed at periods during the day when the office is supposed to be opened and manned all day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51171/12]
View answerThe issue raised is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann and not one in which I have any role. I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
661. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding received from the EU for the construction of new motorways and dual carriageways for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; the roads projects that included EU funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51172/12]
View answerThe EU funding claimed in respect of national roads projects under the Economic and Social Infrastructure Operational Programme 2000-2006 for which my Department had lead responsibility was as follows:
|
€ |
€ |
|
2007 |
2008 |
|
22,101,189 |
7,409,837 |
I do not have details of the funding received, as payments of EU aid in respect of these claims are made to the Department of Finance.
Under the 2007 – 2013 Border Midlands and Western Regional Authority (BMW) Operational Programme of the European Regional Development Fund, only two road projects qualified for funding. These are the M6 Athlone-Ballinasloe motorway and N52 Tullamore Bypass. As the funding for these projects was channelled through the NRA, I have referred your question to them for direct response. If you do not hear from them within 10 days please contact my private office.EU funding for national road development may also have been provided during this period under EU programmes in respect of which other bodies in Ireland have the lead management role under EU Regulations. These programmes include the Cohesion Fund, the INTERREG Programme and the Peace Programme.
662. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider measures to assist taxi drivers in view of the impact that the increase in fuel prices is having on their livelihoods; if he will alleviate concerns regarding recent reports that a reduction in fares is to be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51197/12]
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.
Overall the thrust of the reforms arising from the Taxi Review in 2011, will mean better services for consumers and improvements to the operating environment for taxi drivers generally. The Review Group did not make any proposals concerning measures for financial assistance to taxi drivers.
As part of the Taxi Regulation Review in 2011, the independent consultants, Indecon, evaluated the fares for taxi services in Ireland and concluded that taxi prices appeared above average in Ireland relative to other countries, but broadly similar to what would be expected given wages levels, employment and population density.
A review of taxi fares is carried out every two years by the NTA and information about the consultation on the current fare review is available on the NTA website. The proposal is to seek to simplify the overall fare structure and to provide an approximate 3.6% to 4% increase in the maximum allowable fares. The fare review consultation will run until Monday the 3rd of December 2012.
663. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will meet a group (details supplied) in December for a meeting on a potential international conference. [51397/12]
View answerThe matter raised is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. I have referred the matter to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply to the Deputy. In order to help them to address his query, it would be of assistance if the Deputy could provide further contact details for the person named to the Business Tourism Unit of Failte Ireland. Please contact my private office if a reply is not received within ten working days.
664. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has any knowledge of plans to remove the taxi rank on the island of O'Connell Street, Dublin, outside a hotel (details supplied). [51405/12]
View answerUnder Section 15 of the Road Traffic Act, 2002, Dublin City Council, in consultation with the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, is responsible for the making of bye-laws in respect of the area comprising of the city of Dublin, including bye-laws regarding the location of taxi ranks.
Further information in relation to the taxi rank in question might be obtained from Dublin City Council directly or through the offices of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
665. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has engaged with airlines to ascertain if they will provide special offers to persons willing to come here for the Gathering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51441/12]
View answerThe market for air services in and out of Ireland is highly competitive with a very significant number of airlines operating. The market for air services within the EU has been liberalised since the early 1990s and the market between the EU and the US was liberalised under the EU-US Open Skies agreement in 2007. It is not open to me or to other Governments to interfere in pricing in the market; airlines are completely free to set their own fares based on their own commercial judgements.
I have been particularly pleased by recent announcements by a number of the US airlines of additional services and routes into Ireland next year, for example, American Airlines’ new Dublin/New York service, United Airlines’ new Shannon/Chicago service and US Airways Shannon-Philadelphia service. This is very welcome in the context of 'The Gathering Ireland 2013'
I am also engaging with a number of airlines to see what further initiatives or measures can be taken to support ‘The Gathering Ireland 2013’. Tourism Ireland, the agency with responsibility for the overseas promotion of Ireland as a tourist destination, continues to invest in cooperative marketing activity with airlines and ferry providers. This activity has a strong focus on ‘The Gathering Ireland 2013’ and advertising campaigns are already underway with Aer Lingus and Ryanair highlighting good value fares to Ireland from a number of markets and carrying “The Gathering Ireland” message. This activity will continue throughout 2013.
666. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51447/12]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including the renewal of vehicle licences, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003.
I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
667. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an assurance that the early morning train service and all other services by rail into County Kerry will not be cut during 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51480/12]
View answerThe issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Irish Rail. I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
