Written Answers Nos. 252-262
252. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the discussions he has had with medical organisations regarding free general practitioner care for children under six years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6156/14]
View answerThe Government is committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service within its term of office, as set out in the Programme for Government and the Future Health strategy framework. As announced in the Budget, it has been decided to commence the roll-out of a universal GP service by providing all children under 6 years of age with access to a GP service without fees. When implemented, almost half of the population will have access to GP services without fees.
The Government is providing new, additional funding of €37 million to meet the cost of this measure. The implementation of this measure will require primary legislation which is being drafted.
On Friday last (31st January), I met key stakeholders - the Irish College of General Practitioners, the Irish Medical Organisation and the National Association of General Practitioners - to brief them on Government policy concerning the introduction of a universal GP service without fees at the point of use, and in particular on the first phase concerning children under six years of age. The meetings included a presentation on the content and scope of the draft contract which has been developed by the Department and the HSE to underpin the provision of GP care for children under six years.
The medical organisations were advised that advertisements would be published in the national newspapers on 1st February 2014, seeking the views of the general public and interested parties and, in this regard, the draft contract is available for review on the HSE website with the closing date for receipt of written submissions being 21st February 2014. The three organisations undertook to consider the draft contract and revert to me.
253. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding tinted windows; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6037/14]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006) the Road Safety Authority has responsibility for the delivery of the National Car Test. The RSA has overall responsibility for the operation, oversight, development, quality assurance and delivery of vehicle testing arrangements. The testing function is carried out by Applus+, since January 2010, under a contractual arrangement with the RSA.
There are many reasons for the requirements in regard to window tint, including that excessively tinted windscreens or front side windows present a significant safety hazard for vehicle drivers, their occupants and other road users. Visibility is greatly reduced, particularly for night time driving and at times of low light. They may also hamper the work of An Garda Síochána in the detection of driving offences alongside other enforcement issues such as driver recognition in relation to criminal activity.
Tint films tend to be quite easily removed and can be replaced with a compliant film which would block UVA light and meet the requirement of not less than 65% light transmission. There is no limit on tint level in the rear windows. The light transmission limit set for type approval of new vehicles and vehicles entering into service is 70%. All cars that have been registered since 1998 are type approved.
While I am very conscious of the needs of people with medical conditions associated with light sensitivity; installing excessive tinting to front side windows and windscreen can represent a significant safety risk. It is for this reason EU Type Approval and national legislation sets a maximum permitted tint level. I regret, therefore, that I do not intend to amend legislation to allow for exemptions.
I am aware, however, of a situation in which the RSA agreed an arrangement in relation to a case similar to that outlined by the Deputy. I would suggest that the RSA be contacted by the person referred to by the Deputy.
254. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding driver licence centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6038/14]
View answerThe subject matter of this question, which relates to the operation of the National Driver Licensing Service, is the statutory responsible of the Road Safety Authority. I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
255. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding the amalgamation of the Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners into Cork Port Company, his plans to promote and develop Bantry Bay harbour with the aim of maximising Bantry's potential as a tourist hub for west Cork; when he expects the board of directors of Bantry Bay Port Company Limited to be appointed by the Port of Cork Company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5935/14]
View answerBantry Bay Harbour transferred to the Port of Cork Company on the 1st of January 2014. The Port of Cork Company have established a subsidiary company, the Bantry Bay Port Company Limited, to manage the harbour. Appointments to the Board are the responsibility of the Port of Cork and four of the eight directors have already been appointed from within the Port of Cork. Four further directors are to be appointed from the Bantry area. The Port of Cork Company advertised for expressions of interest in relation to the remaining four posts on the 16 January 2014 with a closing date of 7 February 2014. Consideration will be given to applications from persons with experience in business, tourism and marine related matters.
The promotion and development of Bantry Bay as a tourist hub for West Cork is a matter for Fáilte Ireland and I have referred the question of the development of the region to them for further information and direct reply.
256. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total amount of funding received by his Department from the European Investment Bank to fund capital projects in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013; the projected amount of funding to be received in 2014; and if he will provide specific details of any of the funded projects. [6001/14]
View answerMy Department received no funding from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for public transport capital projects in the period 2011-2013. It is important to note that the EIB provide loans that must be repaid with interest. It does not grant aid projects.
The EIB had agreed in principle to support Metro North and DART Underground PPP’s before they were postponed. The EIB has agreed however to provide a loan to support construction of the Luas Cross City project and the loan details are currently being finalised. It is expected that the loan agreement will be ready for signature next week and pending this it is not possible to specify the portion of the loan which will be received in 2014.
In relation to National Roads, the N11 Arklow-Rathnew Dual Carriageway and the N7 Newlands Cross Upgrade are PPP projects, to be part-funded by the EIB. However, the implementation of individual national road schemes, including Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2007.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for further reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
257. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current programme pursued by Tourism Ireland to promote Ireland as a tourist destination in the United Kingdom; and if there are any new initiatives in the UK to promote visits to Ireland in 2014. [6002/14]
View answerI have no direct role in this matter. These are decisions for Tourism Ireland Limited as the body responsible for promoting the island of Ireland as a visitor destination overseas and are not subject to my approval. I have referred the Deputy's Question to Tourism Ireland for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
258. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on his engagements with the Department of Justice and Equality, the Courts Service, the Garda Síochána and others to advance measures to commence section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 2010. [6041/14]
View answerFollowing a request from the Minister for Justice and Equality and I in August 2013, a Penalty Point Working Group was established by the Courts Service to report on, among other issues, the measures to be put in place to enable section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 to be commenced. This section provides for a final option of payment of a fixed charge ("a third payment option") on receipt of a court summons, to avoid the matter going to court. The Group's membership includes representatives from the Courts Service, An Garda Síochána, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Road Safety Authority, and my Department.
The Department of Justice and Equality has recently advised that some technical and administrative measures required to give effect to this section remain to be resolved. As soon as all the necessary measures are in place, I propose to commence section 44.
259. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason there is no heavy goods vehicle driving test centre in Galway; the reason the people resident in County Galway have to go to Athlone, Sligo or Limerick for such a test; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it takes more than two hours to drive to these centres from parts of Connemara; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6065/14]
View answerThe provision of the driving testing service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority. I have therefore referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
260. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his proposals to provide additional grant aid to Cavan County Council for its non-national roadworks programme for 2014 in view of the recent deterioration in road conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6080/14]
View answer261. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his proposals to provide additional grant aid to Monaghan County Council for its non-national roadworks programme for 2014 in view of the recent deterioration in road conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6081/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together.
The 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 these roads are funded from local authorities' own resources and are supplemented by State road grants. However, the initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
Last month I announced that a total of €331.9 million is being provided to local authorities for the maintenance and improvement of regional and local roads in 2014. To provide increased expenditure flexibility to local authorities the Discretionary Grant and the Winter Maintenance Grant schemes have been combined as a single Discretionary Grant and this may be used for repairs of damage to roads during severe weather, maintenance and strengthening type works.
It is also particularly important that local authorities do not reduce expenditure from their own resources in respect of roads this year in view of the current difficult situation and that they carefully reassess their planned road programmes for 2014 in the light of the impact of the recent storms on their road networks. Local authorities have been asked to prepare a full assessment of the work that needs to be done following the recent storms, together with detailed cost estimates. This is being co-ordinated by the Department of the Environment. The detailed assessment and the action required will then be considered by Government.
262. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a variable speed limit will be introduced for a national road in an area surrounding a place such as a school; if so the procedures involved in such; if not, the amendments that would be required to introduce variable speed limits; if he will enforce same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6121/14]
View answerSections 4 – 8 of the Road Traffic Act 2004 established default speed limits for defined classes of roads, varying from 120 km/h on motorways to 80 km/h on local roads. Other speed limits that may be applied include: 30 km/h; 50 km/h; and 100km/h.
Where it is considered necessary and appropriate, road authorities may vary the default speed limits in their own area of administration by the making of a Special Speed Limits Order. Section 9 of the 2004 Act sets out the range of special speed limits that may be set by such authorities through bye-laws.
Statutory responsibility for setting special speed limits is vested in the Elected Members of local authorities. To assist in setting these limits, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport issued Guidelines for the Application of Special Speed Limits to all local authorities in January 2011, and the onus is on local authorities to take them into account in relation to any special speed limits which they set.
The option is, therefore, available to local authorities to provide Special Speed Limits in the vicinity of schools, including periodic speed limits which can be designed to apply and operate when children are arriving at and leaving a school. Advice on the use of such signs and on the options for combining warning and speed limit signs onto a single backing board are outlined in Paragraphs 5.16.22 to 5.16.28 of the Traffic Signs Manual.
Enforcement of all speed limits is a matter for An Garda Síochána.
