Written Answers Nos. 1108 - 1121
1108. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce a statutory control procedure in relation to written-off vehicles to ensure that severely and irreparably damaged vehicles are never let back on the road, and where a written-off vehicle can be repaired it will only be allowed back into service if repaired to acceptable standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41246/14]
View answerMy Department is currently working on the General Scheme of the next Road Traffic Bill, which I hope to bring to Government for approval and permission for formal drafting in the next few weeks.
The matters referred to by the Deputy will be addressed in the context of this Bill.
1109. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding a taxi licence-plate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41272/14]
View answerAction 14 of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011 recommended the introduction of a prohibition on the transferability of small public service vehicle (SPSV) licences with effect from 1st October 2012. The underlying principle for the recommendation was that a licence should determine a person's suitability to carry out a function and it should have no monetary value or be traded on the open market. The measure was provided for in Section 14(1) of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 which was commenced with effect from 6th April 2014. Special provisions apply in the case of the death of licensee.
1110. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the NCT for taxis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41275/14]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including issues pertaining to vehicle standards, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
1111. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form the total capital expenditure of his Department from 2010 to 2013 inclusive, broken down by project type, that is, roads, rail, public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41276/14]
View answerThe capital expenditure budget for my Department is broken down into 5 main programmes. Expenditure on these programmes, from 2010 to 2013, is set out in tabular form below.
The National Roads Authority is responsible for the national roads programme and I have asked the NRA to provide you with relevant information on the roads programme over the period in question.
Details of grant payments to county councils under the Regional and Local Roads programme are outlined in the regional and local road grant payment booklets which are available in the Dáil Library.
My Department provides funding to both Iarnród Éireann and the National Transport Authority (NTA) for public transport infrastructure projects and programmes. Noting this, I have referred your Question to both the NTA and Iarnród Éireann for direct reply.
Details on Sports Capital Programme allocations in 2013 and in previous years are available on my Department's website, http://www.dttas.ie/sport/english/sports-capital-programme-payments.
Under the tourism programme, the funding provided for this purpose is voted by the Oireachtas for the use of Fáilte Ireland. I have asked Failte Ireland to reply to you directly with the information sought.
|
Programme |
2010 (€000) |
2011 (€000) |
2012 (€000) |
2013 (€000) |
|
Aviation |
1,290 |
4,751 |
4,012 |
4,000 |
|
Maritime Transport |
19,669 |
15,740 |
10,574 |
23,865 |
|
Land Transport |
2,039,678 |
1,425,615 |
1,155,274 |
825,613 |
|
Sports |
58,962 |
33,607 |
24,999 |
27,065 |
|
Tourism |
11,000 |
15,790 |
21,000 |
20,000 |
1112. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps Tourism Ireland is taking to promote tourism in Ireland in the UK market during this winter period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41277/14]
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 Questions to Tourism Ireland for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
1113. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form the amounts of funding provided to County Longford for road construction, realignment and improvement schemes for the years 2011 to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41312/14]
View answerDetails of the regional and local road grant payments to Longford County Council are outlined in the regional and local road grant payment booklets which are available in the Dáil Library.
In addition, details of the 2014 regional and local road grant allocations to each county council are also 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.
1114. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address the concerns expressed by commuters from County Longford that trains can be delayed for anything up to an hour between Maynooth and Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41339/14]
View answerThe issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with Iarnród Éireann and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
1115. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the maximum fares review being carried out by the National Transport Authority; if he anticipates that this will result in a change to fare levels; and if it is expected that there will be a change in the fees imposed for recalibrating taxi meters. [41526/14]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013, including the fixing of the maximum fares that may be charged.
I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
1116. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total expenditure budget for the National Transport Authority in 2014; the details of the expenditure for 2011, 2012 and 2013; the geographic spread of grants and payments by county in each of these years; the number of full-time staff and the total associated payroll cost; the number of secondary and temporary staff along with their associated costs and where these costs are held; the expenditure on consultancy services by the NTA in the years 2011 through to date in 2014, including all details of expenditure on consultancy services associated with the tendering of PSO routes already incurred or budgeted and-or planned for up to and including 2016; and the number of consultant personnel currently engaged with the NTA and the services they are providing, along with similar details for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013. [41553/14]
View answerThe issues raised are a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded 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.
1117. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 283 of 9 October 2014, the basis on which he has already decided that he will sign the ministerial orders enabling the IAS scheme trustees to amend the scheme; if he will examine before signing any such orders whether or not the IAS scheme trustees actually comply with their obligations under section 34 of the States Airport (Shannon Group) Bill 2014 to have due regard to the interests of the different categories of member; and the way he will conduct an impartial assessment of this given that he has already informed the House that he will sign the orders. [41554/14]
View answerResolution of the funding difficulties of the Irish Airlines (General Employees) Superannuation Scheme (IASS) is primarily a matter for the Trustees, the companies participating in the scheme, the scheme’s members and the Pensions Authority. The process currently underway involves all of these stakeholders.
The Deputy has referred to Section 34 of the State Airports (Shannon Group) Act 2014 and the requirement for the Trustees to have due regard to the interests of the different categories of members. I wish to point out this requirement is only one of a number of finely balanced criteria the Trustees must take into account when amending the scheme. Section 34 of the Act states that the Trustees may make amendments "as they consider appropriate in the overall interests of the scheme members and with due regard to the interests of the different categories of member, having regard to such matters as the trustess consider relevant including the funding deficit of the scheme, the potential impact of the deficit on the interests of the different categories of members and any other superannuation provision made for such members". The challenge of meeting these criteria is heightened because the scheme itself is complex, inflexible and involves multiple employers and many classes of employees.
The Trustees must also comply with the provisions in the Pensions Act 1990 which, among other things, sets down certain requirements in relation to the funding of pensions schemes.
Given the considerable complexities involved, an Expert Panel was tasked with undertaking a detailed investigation to identify the fairest way to distribute the burden of contributions required by the scheme while also addressing the range of impediments faced by the scheme. The Panel released its report in June this year and issued recommendations in respect of active members. It also recommended that the IASS Trustees engage with the employers on ways to alleviate as much of the impact of the Trustees' proposal as is possible in respect of deferred members whilst also recognising the overall affordability to the employers of the proposals. As a result of the Expert Panel Report and the engagement between the Trustees and employers, there was an uplift in the monies to be provided by the employers outside of the IASS in respect of active and deferred members and which goes a long way towards mitigating the benefit cuts proposed by the IASS Trustee.
It is important to emphasise that it is also the Expert Panel's definitive view that these proposed measures represent the best possible outcome that can be achieved and that if this final opportunity to resolve this very protracted problem is not grasped now, the situation facing members of the IASS will deteriorate further.
I agree with the Panel’s view and I sincerely believe that, in the circumstances, the proposed package of measures offer the best possible outcome for all concerned. It was on that basis, and on the basis that the Trustees decide to proceed with changes to the scheme at the end of the consultation process in the manner proposed, that I decided I will sign the relevant Commencement Orders. I have no intention of further reviewing the work of the Expert Panel before doing so.
1118. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on plans for widening the N11 southbound from the Fassaroe interchange; if this work will be given priority in view of the present severe capacity problems on the N11 both northbound and southbound at peak hours and the likely impact on future traffic volumes of new development in the Cherrywood Business Park arising from the recent announcement that the sale of a 400 acre development site at Cherrywood is imminent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41567/14]
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, such as works on the N11 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 do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
1119. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the details of his Department's contribution to the new funding arrangements for the Commissioners of Irish Lights, who perform the essential service of providing vital aids for navigation in Ireland's territorial waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41845/14]
View answerMy Department has been making a contribution towards the operating costs of the Commissioners of Irish Lights since 1985. Those costs are also funded by light dues paid by vessels as part of a single operating system for light dues between Ireland and the United Kingdom. A recent joint Ireland-UK review of the light dues system has resulted in an agreement to maintain the single light dues operational area and to improve the collection and enforcement system for light dues, for a trial period up to March 2018. As part of my commitment to maritime safety, my Department will continue to contribute towards CIL’s costs, and that contribution for their financial year April 2015 to March 2016 is likely to be in the region of €7.5m.
1120. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide funding to surface dress the network of roads in Scartaglen village, County Kerry, in his funding programme for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41849/14]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads such as those at Scartaglen, Co. Kerry 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.
I will announcing grant allocations for 2015 early in the new year. The selection and prioritisation of road maintenance and repair works to be undertaken is a matter for the local authority.
1121. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has oversight over the number of persons who have been disqualified from driving either as a result of an order from the courts or upon receiving the maximum number of penalty points, and the corresponding number of this cohort who inform their insurance companies of their disqualification from driving. [41855/14]
View answerDriver disqualifications are entered to the NVDF system by licensing authorities based on information received from the Courts Service. Penalty Points disqualifications are automatically applied where drivers reach or exceed 12 penalty points. There are currently 42,115 disqualifications recorded in respect of Court imposed disqualifications and there are 229 drivers currently disqualified through the penalty points system. My Department does not have information on the number of disqualified drivers who informed insurance companies of the disqualification.
