Written Answers Nos. 679-697
679. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department or the National Transport Authority intends to provide funding to purchase additional carriages for the Luas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2529/14]
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) in December 2009, the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including Luas light rail projects, comes within the remit of the NTA. Noting this I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.
680. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider a longer period of suspension from driving for persons who accrue 12 penalty points for the second time or thereafter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2556/14]
View answerThe Road Traffic (No.2) Bill which is currently at second stage in the Seanad following passage through the Dáil does not contain any measures to introduce a longer period of driver disqualification for persons who accrue 12 penalty points for a second or more time. The present policy in relation to road safety has been set out in the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020 and does not contain any proposals for such a measure. However, my Department, in consultation with the Road Safety Authority, monitors all aspects of road safety on a continuous basis and I will ask my officials to consider the Deputy's proposal in any future road traffic legislation from my Department.
681. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consult with Iarnród Éireann to see if there are existing railway line corridors in use that have enough space at the sides to safely facilitate the provision of greenways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2557/14]
View answerThe issue of the use of railway line corridors as greenways is a matter for Iarnród Éireann, in consultation with the relevant local authority or interest group. 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.
682. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consult with the National Roads Authority to see if our new motorways have enough space on the verges of the land corridors that were acquired to safely facilitate the provision of cycle paths or greenways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2558/14]
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.
683. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of the new round of sports capital funding; if he will provide details of important deadlines and the overall budget and criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2564/14]
View answerI was delighted to open the 2014 round of the Sports Capital Programme for applications at 12 noon Friday 17 January. Some €40 million has been secured for allocations which will be made later this year. All applications must be made online at www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie and organisations wishing to apply must register first. The deadline for registration is 5pm on Friday 7th February. The deadline for applying is 5pm on Friday 28th February. No paper based applications (or supporting documentation) will be accepted. Full details of the terms and conditions to be met to make an application are set out in the guide to making an application which is available on the Department's website http://www.dttas.ie/sport/english/sports-capital-programme.
684. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the opportunities that are available to a festival (details supplied) in County Kerry to apply for funding to help offset some of the costs of staging the event; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2567/14]
View answerThe provision of funding for festivals and events which have associated tourism benefits is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland and it is open to the promoters of festivals to make an application to the agency for funding. The call for applications for 2014 festival funding for National and Regional Festivals & Participative Events Programmes opened on 6 December 2013 with a deadline of midnight 31 January 2014. All details including application forms, guidelines and contact details are available at www.failteireland.ie.
685. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will make funding available in 2014 to Irish Rail to improve the appearance and condition of railway stations, especially those on tourist routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2571/14]
View answer686. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide funding to improve the appearance of a railway station (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2572/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 685 and 686 together.
As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Issues relating to the appearance of specific railway stations are day to day matters for the Board and Management of Iarnród Éireann and are not subject to my approval. Funding provided to Iarnród Éireann under the Capital Plan to 2016 is primarily to maintain safety standards for the rail network including buildings. I do not have any additional resources available to me to fund a specific non safety related station improvement programme in 2014. I have however referred the Deputy’s question to Iarnród Éireann for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.
687. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way the Wild Atlantic Way will be marketed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2600/14]
View answerThe matter raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for the tourism agencies. Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's questions to Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland for direct reply. Please contact my private office if a response is not received within ten working days.
688. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the National Roads Authority will explain the reason it erected a sign on a private road at Ballinamona Lower, Castlemaine, County Kerry on the road opposite the junction of the N70 and the short mountain road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2634/14]
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, including the provision of signage, 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.
689. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the CIE PSO allocation for 2011, 2012 and 2013 and the projected allocations for 2014 and 2015; and the way the allocation has been and will be split between Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Bus Éireann. [2690/14]
View answerThere is no subvention paid directly by my Department for public transport services. The award of Public Service Obligation (PSO) contracts falls under the independent statutory remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA), which has direct responsibility for this area. The total Public Service Obligation (PSO) subvention payable to the NTA in the years 2011 to 2014 is as follows:
2011 €265 million
2012 €278 million
2013 €227 million
2014 €210 million
In my submission to the next comprehensive expenditure review I will propose that there be no further cuts to the PSO subvention from 2015. The allocation and payment of the subvention to all operators, including the amount payable to the three CIÉ subsidiaries, is decided by the NTA in accordance with their PSO contracts with the companies. 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 ten working days.
690. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding tachograph legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2691/14]
View answerDirective 2002/15/EC lays down minimum requirements with regard to the organisation of the working time for all persons performing mobile road transport activities, including self-employed drivers, in order to improve road safety, health and safety of drivers, and prevent distortion of competition. It also supplements the provisions of Regulation (EC) 561/2006 which lays down common rules on drivers' driving time and rest periods. This Regulation and section 5 of S.I. 62/2008 European Communities (Road Transport) (Working Conditions and Road Safety) Regulations 2008 provide for tachograph exemptions for certain categories of vehicles involved in certain activities. I would not consider a blanket exemption for tipper and concrete trucks appropriate due to the impact on working conditions and road safety.
The issue of road hedges is covered in Section 70 of the Roads Acts 1993 which makes the owner or occupier of land responsible for ensuring hedges are not a hazard or potential hazard and that it does not obstruct or interfere with the safe use of a public road or the maintenance of a public road. The council of a county, the corporation of a city or other borough, or the council of an urban district are responsible for the enforcement of Section 70 of the Roads Act 1993.
691. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider the introduction of mandatory dipped headlights for motorists during daylight to further improve safety on our roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2782/14]
View answerDaytime Running Lights (DRL) involves motorists using either dedicated daytime running lights or dipped headlights during the hours of daylight in an effort to make vehicles more conspicuous and hence increase road safety by reducing the number and severity of road traffic collisions. An increasing number of vehicles have DRL fitted as standard, and it became mandatory on all new cars entering the national fleet from 2011 onwards in accordance with EC Directive 2008/89/EC. New trucks and buses are required to have DRL since August 2012. It is estimated that through the gradual renewal of the national fleet almost all vehicles will be equipped with DRL by 2024, with significant numbers being compliant in advance of that date.
DRL is not mandatory in Ireland. In recent years the RSA undertook a review of the policy options available for the mandatory introduction of DRL and concluded that DRL should not be made obligatory at present. Experience in other countries especially Sweden where DRL has been mandatory since 1977, shows that mandatory DRL works best where all vehicles are fitted with dedicated DRL and where there has been intensive promotion and awareness campaigns prior to DRL being made mandatory. In Ireland most vehicles do not yet have dedicated DRL and the RSA analysis has shown that the costs of retrofitting DRL at the current time outweighs the benefits. The RSA has recommended that the position be reviewed again in about 4 years. In the meantime, the RSA will intensify the promotion of DRL with a view to significantly increasing the use of DRL on a voluntary basis, in particular during the period September to March and in wet or poor conditions.
692. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a nitelink and air coach service in respect of an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2800/14]
View answerThe provision of public service obligation (PSO) bus services is a matter for the relevant transport operator under contract to the National Transport Authority (NTA). The NTA is also responsible for the licensing of commercial bus services. I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA and Dublin Bus for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive replies within ten working days.
693. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason, if a person with a commercial vehicle legally off the road parks it in a shed and six or 12 months later wants to put it back on the road, the reason they are requested to back-test the vehicle covering the length of time it was legally off the road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2829/14]
View answerIt has always been a legal obligation that commercial vehicles be tested annually and there have never been exemptions from this requirement. Vehicles which are temporarily not in use can deteriorate during the period while they are off the road and I have no proposals to introduce an "off the road" derogation system similar to that recently introduced for motor taxation. The new certificate of roadworthiness (CRW) issuing system is aligned to the long-standing obligation to have commercial vehicles tested annually. The period of validity of a CRW is calculated by reference to the last test due date. A delay in completing the test has the effect of reducing the validity period of the CRW. The longer the delay in completing the test, the shorter the validity period of a CRW.
In cases where a vehicle is overdue its test by more than one year and is presented for testing, the Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Testing Regulations 2013 provide that the period of validity for the CRW shall be either 6 months falling after the testing date or a period of validity determined by reference to the date of the anniversary of the test due date whichever is earlier. This change was introduced so as to ensure that an operator who does not test the vehicle by the due date does not gain any economic advantage over an operator who tested their vehicle annually in accordance with the legal requirements and I have no proposals to amend the current testing requirements.
694. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to harmonise the driving licence regime between Ireland and Canada; the progress that has been made on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2860/14]
View answerI am in favour of reaching agreement with the Canadian authorities for mutual recognition of driving licences, as I have indicated on a number of occasions. The foundation of exchange relationships on driving licences with other jurisdictions is mutual examination of the driver licensing regimes to make sure that they are compatible. On the Irish side, this task is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA). In Canada, driver licensing operates at provincial rather than national level. This means that agreements have to be reached with the individual provinces.
The RSA has been engaging for some time with a number of provinces in Canada, with the assistance of the Irish embassy in Ottawa, with a view to reaching agreements on mutual exchange. Some provinces in Canada were identified as places where there was the best opportunity for progress, and Ontario was treated as a priority due to the large number of Irish people now living there. The RSA has indicated to me that it is satisfied following discussions with Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador that agreement can be reached with those provinces on the exchange of driver licences. The RSA will be officially advising those provinces of this during the next number of days. The next step will be to conclude a formal agreement with those provinces (a type of Memorandum of Understanding). When this is done, I expect to sign the necessary regulations to give effect to the arrangements.
695. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider providing a capital grant scheme for mountain rescue organisations in County Wicklow (details supplied) to enable the organisations to improve the service they provide to the public in times of need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2877/14]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my reply to Deputy Sean Kyne on the same matter on 19 December 2013. As explained, I am open to consider the inclusion of a modest capital grant scheme for organisations under Mountain Rescue Ireland and will be asking my officials to engage with Mountain Rescue Ireland and to consider the feasibility of such a scheme, bearing in mind the overall funding available to my Department.
696. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of Ireland's engagement history with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation based in Madrid, Spain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2879/14]
View answerThe UN World Tourism Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations serving as a global forum for tourism policy issues and pays particular attention to the interests of developing countries in the field of tourism. The World Tourism Organisation was established in 1975 to replace the International Union of Official Travel Organisations, whose membership comprised the national tourism organisations of more than 80 countries. The WTO became a specialised agency of the UN in 2003. Ireland has never been a member of the UNWTO. I understand that the USA and the UK are not current members either. Other EU countries which are not on the current list of members include Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Finland and Sweden. The question of Irish membership of the WTO has been considered on a number of occasions since 1975. The consistent opinion has been that the potential benefits to Irish tourism were limited and would not justify the costs involved.
For most tourism administrations, the most useful aspect of WTO activity has been its role in compiling international tourism statistics. Both Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland have access to WTO reports and have indicated that Irish membership of the WTO would not result in any significant improvement in information access. Neither do they view funding for membership of the WTO as a priority. It should also be noted that non-membership does not preclude attendance at various seminars/conferences organised by UNWTO. Outside of the UNWTO, Ireland is involved in other tourism committees at international level. These include the European Union's Tourism Advisory Committee and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Tourism Committee.
697. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total amount of grant money paid by his Department in 2013 to Shannon Airport; if any debt due from the airport to his Department or to any agency under his aegis has been written off and if so the amount; the value of assets transferred or due to be transferred from Shannon Development to Shannon airport and the annual income associated with those assets; and his views on the implementation of the Shannon Airport task force report of 2012. [2924/14]
View answerNo grants were paid by my Department to Shannon airport in 2013 nor were there any debts owing by the airport to my Department. Credit arrangements or loan agreements between SAA and third parties, including agencies under the aegis of my Department, are a commercial matter for those bodies. That said I understand from SAA that, other than normal trade creditors, the company had no debts in 2013. The Deputy will of course be aware that in the previous year, Shannon airport secured its independence from DAA. On 31 December 2012, the assets and business of Shannon airport were transferred by DAA to the Shannon Airport Authority while DAA retained all then existing group debt following this restructuring.
Under the proposed restructuring of SAA and Shannon Development, there will be no transfer of assets from the latter to the airport. It is proposed that a new commercial State company, Shannon Group plc, will be established and that both SAA and Shannon Development will become wholly-owned subsidiaries of that new company. Both subsidiaries will maintain their separate legal identities, and their assets. While Shannon Development’s annual accounts for last year are not yet available, I understand that the company’s total income was approximately €12m, of which approximately €8.4m was rental income. Total expenditure by Shannon Development last year was approximately €12.5m.
One of the priorities arising from the Shannon Task Force report of 2012 was the urgent need to stem the constant fall in passenger numbers at the airport over the previous five years. As the Deputy will be aware from the results announced recently by the airport, the SAA achieved this crucial objective last year and the decline of the airport has been halted. Passenger numbers last year were 1.4m, a marginal increase on 2012’s figure of 1.39m. This is a major achievement for Shannon in its first year as an independent airport and now that traffic has been stabilised, the airport authority is looking forward to renewed growth this year.
The next major step in implementing the Task Force recommendations will be the publication of the Bill to provide for the establishment of Shannon Group on a statutory basis. This Bill is currently being finalised by my Department in conjunction with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and I expect to publish it next month. In tandem with the preparation of the Shannon Group Bill, work on developing the vision for an aviation services centre in Shannon has also been progressed and that work will continue. I am confident that this work will result in the establishment of new business activities and the creation of new job opportunities in the medium term.
