Written Answers Nos. 1683-1701
1683. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of money that has been allocated to date by his Department and separately the amount of those funds drawn down to date for a new road project (details supplied) in County Cork and if he is able to provide an update on same. [38375/13]
View answerCork County Council have been allocated €600,000 towards the Carrigaline Western Relief Road in 2013 with a total of €26,845 drawn down to date. Details of allocations and final payments towards this project over the last number of years are outlined in the regional and local road grant allocation and payment booklets which are available in the Dáil Library.
1684. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the roads 2013 community involvement scheme for road works; if he will set out in tabular form, on a county basis, the amount of funding applied for; the amount of funding approved and the actual amount of funding drawn down to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38404/13]
View answerDetails of the Community Involvement Scheme as requested by the Deputy are outlined in the following table.
|
Local Authority |
Allocation Sought |
2013 Allocation |
2014 Allocation |
2013 Funding drawn down |
|
Carlow County Council |
191,930 |
191,930 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cavan County Council |
1,039,590 |
529,750 |
500,000 |
0 |
|
Clare County Council |
574,022 |
574,022 |
0 |
56,807 |
|
Cork County Council |
674,004 |
674,004 |
0 |
10,535 |
|
Donegal County Council |
367,220 |
367,220 |
0 |
4,022 |
|
Galway County Council |
508,333 |
169,588 |
0 |
7,222 |
|
Kerry County Council |
259,919 |
259,919 |
0 |
51,555 |
|
Kildare County Council |
40,540 |
40,540 |
0 |
0 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
346,064 |
346,064 |
0 |
0 |
|
Laois County Council |
243,121 |
243,121 |
0 |
340 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
348,832 |
348,832 |
0 |
0 |
|
Limerick County Council |
369,810 |
369,810 |
0 |
0 |
|
Longford County Council |
51,923 |
51,923 |
0 |
0 |
|
Louth County Council |
593,320 |
393,320 |
200,000 |
0 |
|
Mayo County Council |
999,640 |
400,000 |
191,390 |
0 |
|
Meath County Council |
1,549,868 |
749,868 |
800,000 |
0 |
|
North Tipperary County Council |
978,359 |
578,359 |
400,000 |
0 |
|
Offaly County Council |
42,970 |
42,970 |
0 |
1,920 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
151,879 |
151,879 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sligo County Council |
213,000 |
213,000 |
0 |
12,169 |
|
South Tipperary County Council |
800,380 |
500,380 |
300,000 |
444 |
|
Waterford County Council |
304,000 |
304,000 |
0 |
0 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
211,780 |
211,780 |
0 |
98,842 |
|
Wexford County Council |
398,813 |
398,813 |
0 |
3,255 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
80,000 |
80,000 |
0 |
0 |
|
Waterford City Council |
12,000 |
12,000 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
11,351,317 |
8,203,092 |
2,391,390 |
247,111 |
Local authorities have indicated that they have concentrated on their surface dressing programmes over the Summer months and will be proceeding with works under the Community Involvement Scheme over the next number of weeks in order to draw down funding before the end of the year.
1685. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the guidelines in place for a vehicle towing a trailer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38420/13]
View answerThe driver licensing regulations provide that those wishing to drive a car, truck, minibus or bus with a trailer must have an additional licence category besides that required to drive the vehicle itself. These categories are fixed at EU level and are available to consult in the public domain.
Specific tests for driving with trailers focus on ability to do technical checks, to attach and detach the trailer from the vehicle, and to reverse into a loading bay.
In terms of guidance, the Rules of the Road, published by the Road Safety Authority and also in the public domain, include specific advice on towing a trailer. Further advice and information is also available on the RSA website at http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Your-Vehicle/About-your-Vehicle/Example-of-non-Dup/Trailers-/
1686. Deputy Dara Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the best available figure or estimate of the number of cars on the road without an NCT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38513/13]
View answerIt is not possible to provide an estimated figure of the number of cars on the road without an NCT as statistics of this nature are not maintained. The RSA retain records of vehicles that previously underwent the NCT process and the next testing dates but there are no accurate records of vehicles that may no longer be on the roads since last tested.
1687. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on EU proposals to put speed limiters in cars; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38531/13]
View answerEarlier this year, a study was carried out on behalf of the European Commission into the implementation of Directive 92/6/EEC (as amended by directive 2002/85/EC) on speed limitation devices and relevant effects. This study asked Member States to comment on the effectiveness of the Directive and its possible extension to include light goods vehicles and cars in the scope of vehicles requiring speed limiters to be fitted. Ireland has taken the position (expressed through the Road Safety Authority) that there is currently no justification to extend the scope of this Directive to other categories of vehicles.
I understand that the European Commission is currently collating the findings of this study and that no resulting impact analysis or formal proposal has yet been issued.
1688. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding proposals to construct a bypass of Adare, County Limerick; if he is satisfied that the local authority have adequately engaged with the local landowners whose land has been left sterilised by virtue of the recent decision of An Bord Pleannala; if he or his officials, or officials of the National Roads Authority have plans to meet or have already with management of Limerick County Council to examine the decision of An Bord Pleannala; if he will encourage the local authority to provide a timescale to the landowners in respect of the advancement of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38536/13]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & 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 don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.
1689. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress that has been made on the reported upgrade and opening of the rail line linking Heuston Station to Connolly Station, Dublin, via a tunnel beneath the Phoenix Park; if it is intended that this will allow rail services to and from the south including Limerick and Cork to depart from and terminate at Connolly Station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38537/13]
View answerMinister 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 1st December 2009, the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), such as the possible development of the Phoenix Park Tunnel, comes 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.
1690. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the latest traffic counts that have been carried out on national roads at locations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38540/13]
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 don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.
1692. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for legislation regarding signs and signage based on lands adjacent to different categories of roads throughout Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38589/13]
View answerWhile the provision of traffic signs on roads is a matter for the relevant road authority, signs and signage on lands adjacent to roads would be covered under the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended and are therefore a matter for individual Planning Authorities. Any amendments to planning legislation would be a matter for the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
1693. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a section of roadway (details supplied) in County Kerry will be resurfaced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38619/13]
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.
Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects is a matter in the first instance for the NRA in accordance with Section 19 of the Roads Act.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy’s question to the NRA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.
1694. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reopen Killucan Train Station, County Westmeath. [38623/13]
View answerThe issue raised is a matter for Irish Rail, 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.
1695. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department know whether Bus Éireann makes a profit from school transport. [38676/13]
View answer1696. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he ever acknowledged to anybody that Bus Éireann makes a profit from school transport. [38682/13]
View answer1697. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason he did not meet with Student Transport Scheme Limited and the consortium participants who are a US school bus manufacturer and school transport operators when they requested a meeting in relation to the school transport scheme and putting it out to tender. [38683/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1695 to 1697, inclusive, together.
Responsibility for the school transport scheme lies with my colleague, Ciarán Cannon, T.D., Minister for Training and Skills. Both my Secretary General and I have responded to correspondence from a number of parties regarding school transport and, while indicating that my Department has no role in the scheme, it has been clearly stated that it is our understanding the scheme operates on a cost recovery basis and Bus Éireann does not make a profit on the scheme in any commercial sense.
I have not acceded to requests for a meeting from Student Transport Scheme Limited as I have no role in relation to the scheme and the issue remains a matter of proceedings before the courts.
1698. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the actions he has taken to address the negative social and economic impacts of the withdrawal of the 19 and 13 bus routes by Dublin Bus which has reduced the local service by up to two thirds. [38685/13]
View answerThe scheduling and timetabling of services are matters for Dublin Bus, in conjunction with the National Transport Authority (NTA), 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.
1699. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided in the 2014 road works allocations in respect of the proposed development of the East/West route from Cootehill to Shercock / Carrickmacross / Dundalk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38815/13]
View answerThe 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.
As regards State grants it has been decided that in order to focus the limited available funds on maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing road network, grants for new development projects will not be available from 2014.
1700. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide funding to Cavan County Council in respect of a project (details supplied) in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38819/13]
View answerThe 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.
In July last year local authorities were invited to submit applications for consideration for funding in 2013 under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme. Cavan County Council applied for funding for five projects under this grant category but Corroneary Bridge was not among the Council’s applications.
The Specific Improvement Grants Scheme is scheduled to be discontinued from 2014 onward in order to maximise the funding available for repair and strengthening work. In lieu of the Specific Improvement Grant Programme, applications have been sought for minor bridge repair works (which is a subset of the current Specific Grant Programme) for 2014. This is in line with focusing monies on road and bridge maintenance and strengthening and the council may wish to prioritise this project and submit it for consideration for funding in 2014.
It is also important to re-iterate that the role of Exchequer grants for regional and local roads is to supplement Councils like Cavan County Council in their own resources spending in this area. It is open to the Council to fund this project from its own resources.
1701. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the next sports capital programme will be launched; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38824/13]
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.
