Written Answers Nos. 764-775
764. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of the Council conclusions on dual careers for athletes during the Irish EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36232/13]
View answerThe EU Council of Sport Ministers, which I chaired in Brussels on 17 May, adopted Council Conclusions on Dual Careers for athletes.
The promotion of dual careers for elite athletes was one of the sport priorities of the Irish Presidency. To succeed at the highest level of a sport demands intensive training and competitions at home and abroad. It can be difficult to combine this with education and work commitments. Retiring athletes can also face difficulties moving from a sports career to a new career. Special arrangements are needed to avoid the situation where talented and elite sports people are forced to choose between education and sport or work and sport. Given the growing importance of this matter, a set of Council conclusions on this issue were prepared for adoption by EU Sport Ministers. In particular, the Council Conclusions:
- Encourage co-operation between Member States, educational institutions and stakeholders and sports organisations;
- Promote exchange of good practices and experience on dual careers among Member States;
- Encourage establishment of flexible academic cycles and adapted learning pathways for athletes so that they can combine their sporting activities with education;
- Recognise that sport organisations should also develop and implement dual career services for talented or elite athletes: and
- Invite the European Commission, on the basis of the EU Guidelines on Dual Careers for Athletes, to explore appropriate follow-up on this important issue of Dual Careers, possibly in the framework of the second Work Plan for Sport.
765. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he intends to instruct the Railway Procurement Agency to employ undercover ticket inspectors and security personnel; and if he will be instructing the RPA to increase the frequency of ticket inspections on the Luas red line. [36286/13]
View answerThis is an operational matter for the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) 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.
766. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the reason Iarnród Éireann has increased cash fares by 25% charged for passengers parking at train stations and by 50% for those paying fares through park by text; and if he will indicate the additional services that may be made available to passengers as a result of the increase in parking charges. [36287/13]
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.
767. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in respect of each State agency and commercial State company under the aegis of his Department, if he will provide details of the name of each pension scheme; details of the salary percentage contributions made by the employer and the employees; the latest information on the funding position of the scheme; if any changes are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36379/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is a matter for the agencies themselves. I will forward it to the agencies under my remit for direct reply to you. If you do not receive a reply within 10 working days please contact my private office.
768. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of miles claimed for and the amount of travel expenses paid to him and each Minister of State in his Department in respect of his functions in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36394/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible.
769. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has had any discussion with the Department of Education and Skills regarding the potential for using that Department’s capital building programme as an opportunity to increase the provision of sporting facilities in local communities, in particular youth sports facilities, through co-location of sports facilities with educational campuses; if he envisages any savings that could be made to his Department's capital expenditure in that regard; if he will outline those savings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36426/13]
View answerThe Sports Capital Programme is the Government’s primary vehicle for supporting the development of sports facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment.
The Sports Capital Programme actively encourages the sharing of facilities between different sports organisations and also between schools/colleges and sports groups. For the most recent round of the Programme in 2012, significant extra marks were awarded at assessment stage to schools/colleges that showed that facilities would be available to local sports groups outside of school/college hours and also to clubs that could show that their facilities would be available to schools/colleges.
As the Sports Capital Programme is always over subscribed, with applicants seeking multiples of the funding available and with all of the available funding fully allocated, it is not clear how any savings could be realised from the Deputy's proposal.
770. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form the number of amendments to legislation he proposed during committee and report stages in Seanad Éireann in 2012; if he will provide in tabular form the number of his own amendments accepted; and if he will indicate in tabular form the number of amendments accepted from members of the Seanad, broken down by Senator. [36443/13]
View answerDetails of all amendments tabled and made during committee and report stages in Seanad Éireann in 2012 can be found in the “Bill Amendments” section on the website of the Houses of the Oireachtas, www.oireachtas.ie.
771. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the staffing levels of the private offices and constituency offices of Ministers and Ministers of State in his Department; the salary of each; the same figures for this time in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36507/13]
View answerThe number of persons currently employed in each of my and the Ministers of State’s private and constituency offices together with the full year salary cost in 2013 and similar figures for 2011 are set out in Tables 1 to 3 below. Both the private and constituency offices in my Department are staffed in line with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines. As indicated in the tables below, Ministers Ring, Kelly and I currently employ three staff each in our constituency offices. This is one less than the allowed number of staff for constituency offices, which is four.
The salary costs for 2011 are not directly comparable with the 2013 figures as the fourteen Ministerial appointed staff were appointed after the formation of the Government in March 2011, with some not being in situ until May 2011. The 2013 salary costs represent the full year cost including the reductions effected by the Haddington Road Agreement from 1st July 2013.
TABLE 1 – Minister Varadkar Staffing
|
Office |
No of persons employed |
Salary (2011 - March to Year End) - €’000 |
2013 annual salary €’000 |
|
Private |
10 (incl 2 Civilian Drivers) |
384 |
544 |
|
Constituency |
3 |
145 |
127 |
TABLE 2 – Minister of State Ring Staffing
|
Office |
No of persons employed |
Salary (2011 - March to Year End) - €’000 |
2013 annual salary €’000 |
|
Private |
6 (incl 2 civilian drivers) |
169 |
221 |
|
Constituency |
3 |
101 |
163 |
TABLE 3 – Minister of State Kelly Staffing
|
Office |
No of persons employed |
Salary (2011 - March to Year End) - €’000 |
2013 annual salary €’000 |
|
Private |
6 (incl 2 civilian drivers) |
205 |
262 |
|
Constituency |
3 |
105 |
138 |
772. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the saving to the Exchequer if the pay of all his special advisers and those of his Ministers of State were capped at the first point on the principal officer pay scale. [36522/13]
View answerThere are two Special Advisers in my Department. If their pay was capped at the first point on the Principal Officer Scale there would be a net saving of less than €16,000 per annum to the Exchequer.
As the Deputy is aware, both Special Advisers had their pay cut as of the 1st of July 2013 as part of the Haddington Road Agreement. In stark contrast, as the Deputy will also be aware, Special Advisers in the Northern Ireland Executive will see their pay bands increase on the 1st of August 2013, following on from a previous increase in April 2012.
773. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to implement the recommendations of a company (details supplied) in respect of operation of Cork airport; his plans for the future development of the airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36685/13]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, in the context of the decision in principle in May 2012 to separate Shannon airport from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), the Government also decided that the existing ownership of Cork airport by the DAA would be maintained for the present. That decision is consistent with the report by Booz & Co (January 2012) which found that Cork airport performs well under DAA ownership and management and operates to a sustainable business model.
The DAA operates to a clear commercial mandate and the future promotion and development of its business activities, including Cork airport, is a matter for the airport authority.
774. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on moving to an on the spot fine for cycling on footpaths; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36768/13]
View answerThe Road Safety Strategy 2013 - 2020 was approved by Government and formally launched by me at a EU Presidency Road Transport Safety Conference on Serious Injuries held in Dublin Castle in March.
Action 92 of the Strategy states "Legislate for the extension of fixed charge notices to other offences including those related to cyclists and drivers' hours."
The completion date for this Action is the second quarter of 2014.
My Department is the lead Department for the completion of this Action. It will be assisted in this process by the Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána.
775. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the present gender balance of the total members of State boards under the aegis of his Department; if the ratio has changed significantly over the course of the present Government's term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36795/13]
View answerThe commitment in the Programme for Government is to have at least 40% of each gender on State boards. Since my appointment as Minister in March 2011 the percentage of women on State Boards under the aegis of my Department has risen from 21.3% to 25.5%. My intention is to achieve the commitment in the Programme for Government in the context of future appointments to State boards for which I have responsibility.
