Dessie Ellis
Question:249. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of revenue from road tax spent on road maintenance and road improvement. [15811/13]
View answerRoad Maintenance
Questions (249)
Written answers
My Department’s share of motor tax receipts in 2012 was €418,535,958. Of this, €404,524,000 was allocated to the road maintenance and improvement and the balance to meet costs incurred in the operation of the National Vehicle & Driver File (NVDF) and certain Road Safety Authority (RSA) activities.
In addition to this, my Department allocated €620,105,000 for the maintenance and improvement of National Roads and Motorways from our Exchequer allocation.
The balance of motor tax receipts in 2012 was administered by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Rural Transport Programme Issues
Questions (250)
Noel Harrington
Question:250. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for the rural transport scheme in west Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15861/13]
View answerWritten answers
An overall budget of €9.133 million has been allocated by my Department to the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) for 2013, representing a small decrease on the 2012 allocation of €9.77 million, at a very difficult time financially. €130,099 of the 2013 RTP budget has been allocated to West Cork Rural Transport (WCRT) from January to June 2013, with a further proposed allocation of €130,099 from July to December 2013. Additionally, €31,032.50 of Free Travel Pass (FTP) funding has been allocated to WCRT from January to June 2013, with a further proposed allocation of €31,032 from July to December 2013. This represents a total 2013 allocation of combined RTP and FTP funding of €322,262.50 for the provision of RTP services in West Cork.
My aim is to strengthen the RTP by ensuring a more efficient delivery structure by maximising integration with other state transport services and by making the programme a sustainable part of the public transport system. This is in line with the Programme for Government commitment to maintain and extend the RTP with other local transport services.
To this end national responsibility for local and rural transport services integration, including the RTP, was assigned to the National Transport Authority (NTA) with effect from 1st April 2012, putting such services in a broader transport context. I also established the National Integrated Rural Transport (NIRT) Committee in April 2012, comprising key stakeholders and chaired by the NTA, to oversee and manage a partnership approach to implementing integrated local and rural transport.
I am well aware of the very valuable work done by the RTP Groups in identifying and delivering the transport needs of their local community. However, given resources are limited and that the Value for Money and Policy Review of the RTP, published last year, recommended organisational restructuring to achieve efficiencies and the better alignment of the 35 RTP groups with local authorities, it is necessary that the current delivery mechanisms and structures are examined and revised.
The current structures of the RTP are not sustainable if the required efficiencies and savings are to be achieved. If these are not achieved then with the limited resources available services will decline.
Work is underway to determine the optimal structure for the delivery of rural transport from an efficiency and service perspective. One of the proposals being examined is that the RTPs be "aligned" with local authorities and that a number of Transport Coordination Units be established. I would emphasise that no decision has been taken regarding West Cork or any other part of the country, but I am hopeful that I will be in a position to recommend a new structure later this year which will allow for the maximising of spend on services and the reduction of administration costs.
I will be ensuring that any future structure for the RTP will be based on community input, local flexibility and involving the voluntary sector. Rural Transport by its nature is community-based and this will remain under any new structure.
Road Maintenance
Questions (251)
Heather Humphreys
Question:251. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of direct Government funding provided to each local authority for road maintenance for each of the past five years; the amount of funding used for road maintenance by each local authority from their own resources for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15876/13]
View answerWritten answers
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
Booklets outlining allocations from my Department for each local authority are available in the Oireachtas Library for each year up to 2013. In addition, booklets detailing the actual outturn figures for each local authority in respect of regional and local roads are also available in the Dail Library for each year up to 2012.
Due to its large size a table, which sets out local authorities' own resource contributions over the last five years, has been forwarded separately to the Deputy. The amounts in the table are inclusive of development levies.
Tourism Industry Issues
Questions (252, 253)
Brendan Smith
Question:252. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the value to the Irish economy in money terms of angling tourism in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 on an annual basis; the proposals, if any, there are to expand this important sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15879/13]
View answerBrendan Smith
Question:253. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the proposals, if any, there are to support the further development of tourism angling facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15880/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 and 253 together.
The matters raised are operational matters for Fáilte Ireland. I have referred the Deputy's questions to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply. Please contact my private office if a reply is not received with ten working days.
Ferry Services Provision
Questions (254)
Brendan Smith
Question:254. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the proposals, if any, there are to expand ferry capacity between Ireland and Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15881/13]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland is already well serviced in terms of ferry connectivity as the market offers a diverse range of viable maritime links in and out of the State. There are currently six shipping lines providing passenger services, with approximately 500 sailings weekly between Ireland and Britain and continental Europe, depending on the time of year. All ferry companies servicing these routes are commercial companies and, as such, their services are market driven.
My Department through its agency, the IMDO, works closely with all existing operators and continues to promote Ireland as a location for new services. Any new services must be market driven. Competition in the sector is encouraged and to date ferry operators have responded to market developments and increased capacity, when required.
While the vast majority of our overseas visitors arrive in Ireland by air, research has shown that visitors coming to Ireland by car are very important to our tourism industry as they tend to stay longer, they tend to tour around more and they tend to spend more than those arriving by air. Accordingly, the state tourism agencies have continually targeted this segment.
As the Deputy will be aware, this is a particularly important year for Irish tourism with The Gathering Ireland 2013 now underway and over 3,000 individual gatherings confirmed on the Gathering website. The overall target is to attract at least 325,000 extra overseas visits to Ireland in 2013. Tourism Ireland continues to mount a major consumer campaign to promote The Gathering and in this regard the agency is undertaking co-operative activity with the ferry operators to highlight the value fares that are on offer. This activity will continue through 2013.
Sports Funding
Questions (255)
Róisín Shortall
Question:255. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation made to each high performance athlete in each of the past three years and the basis for same. [15952/13]
View answerWritten answers
The Irish Sports Council, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the promotion, development and co-ordination of sport, including the allocation of funding under the High Performance programme.
As the Deputy's question relates to the allocation of high performance funding, I have referred it to the Irish Sports Council for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to inform my office if a reply is not received within 10 days.
Tourism Industry Issues
Questions (256)
Gerry Adams
Question:256. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to address the fact that while tourist attractions in Dublin are reporting a stronger January year on year, attractions outside of the capital especially those in rural areas are struggling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15312/13]
View answerWritten answers
The matter raised is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. I have referred the Deputy's question to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply. Please contact my private office if a reply is not received within ten working days.