Written Answers Nos. 1204-1220
1204. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total number of non-domestic visitors to Waterford in the years 2011 and 2012 and for the first half of 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35346/13]
View answerThe collection of statistics is primarily a matter for the Central Statistics Office (CSO). I understand that the CSO does not provide a regional breakdown of statistics in their monthly "Overseas Travel" publication. I am aware, however, that Fáilte Ireland, provides an estimated regional breakdown of overseas visits on an annual basis, based on research of its own, as well as available CSO statistics. The most recent full year figures are for 2011. The data are available, on a regional and county basis, in the research section of the Fáilte Ireland website www.failteireland.ie under Regional Facts and Figures.
In regard to 2012 figures, I have asked Fáilte Ireland to provide the Deputy with whatever information it may have in regard to the number of tourists who visited County Waterford in 2012 and to date in 2013. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
1205. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify the instructions that he gave to local authorities in respect of making available funding for local funds from different allocations from within local authority funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35350/13]
View answerMy Department has no direct input into how local authorities allocate their own funding.
Grant assistance for the upkeep of the regional and local road network is provided by my Department. These funds are intended to supplement a council's own financial input. Use of this grant aid is governed by a memorandum (which is updated from time to time) to ensure that the funding provided, under various grant categories, is expended in line with national and EU procurement regulations and delivers the best value for money.
I have of course exhorted local authorities to maximise their own resources contributions which are applied to the maintenance and rehabilitation of regional and local roads. In this context the allocation of the additional amount of €50 million in June this year took account of the commitment of local authorities in terms of own resource expenditure in respect of roads.
1206. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to a proposal by the Irish Aviation Authority to end the existing guaranteed 24 hour air traffic control coverage at an airport (details supplied) at the end of summer 2013; the impact this will have for operators, customers and the overall competitiveness of this regional airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35397/13]
View answerI have been made aware by the IAA that it is considering the introduction of limited restrictions in its air traffic control services at Cork Airport as a result, in particular, of low night-time traffic levels at the airport. In this context, however, it is necessary to bear in mind that under the provisions of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993, one of the IAA's principal objects empowers the company to decide, as it sees fit, the extent to which it should operate and manage terminal navigation services at any of the three State airports, including Cork Airport. Accordingly, I have no statutory function in relation to this matter.
I understand that the IAA has decided to postpone for a six-month period its decision on the implementation of a modified air traffic control service at Cork Airport during which time traffic levels during the night-time will be monitored. This monitoring of the operational and commercial environment at the airport is designed to ensure the provision of an air traffic control service appropriate to the level of traffic at Cork Airport, including a continuous 24 hour operation if the traffic demand requires.
I believe that the IAA has arranged a consultation meeting in Cork in August that will also be attended by the operators of Cork Airport, as well as local business representatives. This initiative will provide an excellent forum for the interested parties involved to present their concerns and interests and I am confident that a satisfactory outcome can be achieved.
1207. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the National Transport Authority's work in the design of a cycle route in an area (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35438/13]
View answerThe National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the provision of public transport and sustainable transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area and the regional cities. Wicklow comes under the remit of the NTA as the county is part of the Greater Dublin Area. The NTA provides funding to local authorities for a range of schemes to benefit cyclists, including cycle lanes and junctions improvements, under the Sustainable Transport Management Grants Programme. I have forwarded your request to the NTA and I have asked it to forward the information to you directly.
1208. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the National Transport Authority’s work in the design of a footpath (details supplied), land transfer and all associated activities; if he will provide a detailed map of where the new footpath will run; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35439/13]
View answerThe National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the provision of public transport and sustainable transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area and the regional cities. Wicklow comes under the remit of the NTA as the county is part of the Greater Dublin Area. The NTA provides funding to local authorities for a range of schemes to benefit pedestrians, including footpath and junctions improvements, under the Sustainable Transport Management Grants Programme. I have forwarded your request to the NTA and I have asked it to forward the information to you directly.
1209. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the National Transport Authority's work in the design, tender and construction of an interchange scheme (details supplied); if he will provide detailed drawings of the final interchange when complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35440/13]
View answer1210. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the National Transport Authority's work on a pedestrian crossing and footpath scheme in an area (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35441/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1209 and 1210 together.
As 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) in December 2009, the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), such as the Sustainable Transport Measures Grants Scheme under which the project in question is funded, comes under the remit of the NTA. The Scheme facilitates investment in the various QBCs, cycling-walking, safety and traffic management projects throughout the seven local authorities in the GDA region.
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.
1211. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the persons who are perceived to be interested parties by the air accident investigation unit of his Department when a draft final report is issued; the way a person or organisation may become an interested party in an investigation to be able to comment before final consideration is given to the final report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35443/13]
View answerInternational Conventions, (EU) Regulations and national legislation provide detailed provisions and obligations with regard to the conduct of investigations and reporting. In particular, states conducting the investigation shall send a copy of the final draft report to the following parties inviting their significant and substantiated comments on the report as soon as possible:
a) the state that instituted the investigation;
b) the state of registry;
c) the state of the operator;
d) the state of design;
e) the state of manufacture;
f) any state that suffered fatalities or serious injuries to its citizens;
g) any state that provided information, facilities or experts to the state;
h) the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) maximum mass over 2,250 kg;
i) the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); and
j) the Air Safety Unit of the European Commission.
Specific to Irish legislation S.I. 460 of 2009 also provides under 12 (1) that: no final report under Regulation 13 may be made to the Minister or made public until the investigator in charge has—
(a) where it appears to him or her practicable to do so, served a draft final report on any undertaking or person, including the Minister, who is, in the inspector’s opinion, likely to be adversely reflected on by findings in the draft final report or, where such person is deceased, on the person who appears to the investigator in charge to best represent the interests of the deceased person.
As previously stated, as the AAIU is independent in the conduct of its Investigations, I do not propose to become involved in individual investigations.
1212. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline the different blood alcohol levels and concentrations for drinking under the influence of alcohol here that are provided in the Road Traffic Acts, that is, policed by An Garda Síochána, as a measure to reduce fatalities and improve safety on the roads; the differences for public service vehicle drivers and normal drivers of vehicles; the measurements and limits that are in place when a person driving a private vehicle who is stopped at an authorised mandatory alcohol testing checkpoint and does not have a driving licence on his person; if he will detail in these circumstances if they are tested as a public service vehicle driver or a normal driver during a mandatory alcohol test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35447/13]
View answerSections 4 and 5 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 set out the different blood-alcohol levels for drivers, along with the equivalent levels in breath and urine. Learner permit holders and drivers holding their first driving licence within 2 years of the date of its issue, along with drivers of public service vehicles, while such vehicles are being used in the course of business and those drivers who cannot produce their driving licence to gardaí at the roadside, are all classed as "specified drivers" and are tested at the lower 20 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood level.
1213. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to detail his long-term plans for the public service obligation routes; if he is considering alternative models of PSO contract provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35470/13]
View answerThe objective of the Government is to ensure a system of public transport throughout the country that is as efficient and as widespread as possible. In relation to the award of Public Service Obligation (PSO) contracts for the bus market, this falls under the remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA). The NTA is currently considering how best publicly subvented bus services will be provided in the future. The direct award (monopoly) contracts for the provision of PSO bus market services held by Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann expire late next year. The awarding of the licenses for the services thereafter is a matter for the NTA, and not for the Government, but the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has kept the Cabinet updated on the process.
Where the NTA proposes to enter into a further direct award contract or contracts for bus services it is obliged to carry out a statutory consultation under section 52 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. Under the legislation, if the NTA proposes to enter into direct award contracts, the relevant section states that “it may only do so where it is satisfied that the continued adequacy of the public bus passenger services to which the contracts relate can only be guaranteed in the general economic interest by entering into such direct award contracts". If it is not so satisfied, it must provide for some level of competitive tendering. As explained, this is not a decision for the Government or for me.
The NTA is conducting its work in accordance with the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. It will be conducting statutory consultations in relation to the matter later in the year with a view to announcing its decision on how it intends to proceed before the end of the year.
1214. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to set out the amount of funding, in tabular format, that has been allocated to or spent in County Kerry on local, regional and national roads and other road projects in Kerry since 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35472/13]
View answerDetails of the regional and local road grant payments made by my Department to county councils over the last number of years are outlined in the regional and local road grant payment booklets which are available in the Dáil Library.
With regard to national roads, details of the allocations to each local authority are also available in the Dáil Library. However, details of the actual drawdown of funding for these roads is a matter for the National Roads Authority.
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.
1215. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to provide funding for another round of sports capital grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35477/13]
View answerNo decision has been taken on the timing of the next round of the Sports Capital Programme. Any such decision will of course have to be taken in the context of the likely capital provision for the subhead in future years.
1216. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of the submission the Government will be making to the European Commission review of state aid rules on the public financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines prior to the adoption of revised guidelines in early 2014. [35503/13]
View answerThe European Commission is inviting comments on its review of EU state aid rules on the public financing of airports and start-up aid to airlines. It has indicated that the market environment of the aviation industry has changed considerably during the last ten years and the Commission proposal takes account of this evolution and provides guidance on how member states can support airports and airlines in line with EU state aid rules. In the light of submissions received, the Commission will adopt revised guidelines in the beginning of 2014.
My Department is currently studying the draft guidelines and their likely implications for Ireland. It is intended that a submission will be made by the deadline of 25 September 2013.
1217. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will review and revise the recently announced changes to route 115, which includes the bus transport service from Mullingar to Dublin (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35506/13]
View answerThe scheduling and timetabling of services are matters for Bus Éireann, in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, and I have forwarded 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.
1218. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will review a case regarding a taxi licence in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [35508/13]
View answerThe regulation of the taxi industry, including issues relating to the renewal of SPSV vehicle licences, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009. I have forwarded your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not get a response within 10 working days.
1219. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the position of caretaker at a train station (details supplied) in County Sligo will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35532/13]
View answerThe issue raised is a matter for Iarnród Éireann and I have forwarded 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.
1220. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a ticket machine will be put in place at a train station (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35533/13]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Matters relating to train stations, including the installation of ticketing machines, are day-to-day operational issues for Iarnród Eireann in the first instance and I have no function in such matters.
Noting this, I have referred the Deputy's question to the Chief Executive of Iarnród Eireann for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
