Written Answers Nos. 263-270
263. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a breakdown of the way that the €336,335 allocated by his Department for programme administration of The Gathering will be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26115/13]
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.
264. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline the complete list of projects and events as part of The Gathering 2013 in an area (details supplied) that have received funding from his Department either directly or indirectly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26154/13]
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.
265. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline his recent contribution to the International Transport Forum in Leipzig, Germany, on 24 May 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26184/13]
View answerI was honoured to represent Ireland recently at the International Transport Forum's, ITF, annual summit in Leipzig which took place from 22 to 24 May. In addition to my representational duties at the ITF annual ministerial meeting, I took part in a round table between Ministers and the business community on attracting new sources of private finance to transport infrastructure which proved very interesting and informative and, furthermore, participated in a number of bilateral engagements (both formal Presidency related and informal) with other transport ministers. The ITF annual summit aims to be a relatively informal, dynamic international event with the emphasis on free-flowing discussion and networking across governments and industry and Ireland's attendence as usual this year was, I consider, informative and beneficial to Irish interests. I also met with representatives of a transport company with a significant employment base in Ireland, Valeo Vision Systems.
266. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects the car parking facilities at the Cherrywood and Brides Glen Luas stops to begin construction, in view of the fact that the sites that are there at present are awaiting development; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in spite of no car parking facilities at the last two stops on the Luas green line, the local authority, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, is in the process of installing parking bays and has begun the initial steps of installing paid parking metres outside the Cherrywood Luas stop; his views on whether this will prevent people from availing of this public transport facility and instead pressure them to drive in their cars into Dublin and further into the city; if he will liaise with the local authority to prevent paid parking metres being installed until the car parking facilities at either one of these Luas stops is complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26187/13]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority, NTA, on 1 December 2009, the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area, GDA, such as Luas Light Rail projects, as well as the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network come under the remit of the NTA. Noting this 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 10 working days.
267. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when it is proposed to launch another sports capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26191/13]
View answerNo decision has been taken on the timing of the next round of the SCP. Any such decision will of course have to be taken in the context of the likely capital provision for the subhead in future years.
268. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to name the Minister or Minister of State that represented Ireland at the Ministerial Council meetings of the European Union during the Irish Presidency of the Council to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26220/13]
View answerAs President of the Council, I chaired the Transport Council of 11 March and will chair it again on 10 June next. My colleague Deputy Michael Ring, Minister of State for Sport chaired the sports council on 17 May. Ireland was represented at senior official level at both councils.
269. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of parliamentary replies issued by him to this Deputy in 2013 containing an undertaking to provide extra information requested; the date of the question in each case; the date on which the information was provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26235/13]
View answerNo parliamentary replies have been issued to the Deputy in 2013 that contained an undertaking to provide extra information.
270. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport with reference to recent traffic calming works carried out on the N17 at Carraghy, Knockdoe, County Galway, if he will confirm that the National Roads Authority is the body that supplied and-or approved the design of the works; the regulations and-or guidelines to which such works should conform; if he will confirm that an engineer completed a report to confirm that the design conformed to such regulations and-or guidelines; if he will provide Dáil Éireann with a copy of that engineer's report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26237/13]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and 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. 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.
