Written Answers Nos. 127-138
127. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the inadequate broadband telecommunications infrastructure in an area in County Cavan; his plans to have this infrastructure upgraded to ensure that business and households have an appropriate level of communications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46448/14]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that every citizen and business, regardless of location, has access to a high quality, high speed broadband service. This will be achieved through a combination of commercial investments and a State-led intervention in areas where commercial services will not be provided.
The commercial telecommunications sector is currently investing approximately €2.5bn in network upgrades and at least 1.6m of the 2.3m addresses in Ireland are expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services by the end of 2016. In October, two companies announced projects to deliver direct fibre connectivity to approximately 500,000 homes and businesses in every county in Ireland. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available. Under EU State Aid guidelines Member States cannot intervene in areas where commercial investors have plans to roll out services.
On the 24th November, I launched a public consultation on a national high speed coverage map. This allows all members of the public, be they business or residential, to see whether or not their premises/home is included in the Government’s proposed intervention. It also provides detailed information on a county by county basis as to which villages and townlands are to be included.
This map can be accessed at www.broadband.gov.ie. There is a wealth of data and information available here to better inform citizens about the on-going commercial investment in improved broadband services as well as the detail of the Government’s ambitious plan to ensure all parts of Ireland have access to high quality broadband services.
The next steps in this process will see a further public consultation on a detailed intervention strategy in mid-2015.
A detailed procurement process will be undertaken in order to select a potential preferred bidder(s) towards the end of 2015.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government. It aims to conclusively address current connectivity challenges in Ireland.
128. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when funding will be made available for the N7 upgrade, Osberstown interchange and Sallins bypass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46399/14]
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 Naas Bypass widening, 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, 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.
As regards the Osberstown Interchange and the Sallins Bypass, 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 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 a matter for the local authority.
It is important to state that the role of Exchequer grants for regional and local roads is to supplement Councils in their own resources spending in this area. While Councils could apply in the past for grant funding for certain road improvement projects, budgetary constraints mean that the Specific and Strategic Improvement Grants Scheme have had to be curtailed in order to maximise the funding available for repair and strengthening work of the road network. I am not, therefore, in a position to give a commitment in relation to funding of these projects.
129. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a sports grant application in respect of a club (details supplied) in County Meath which applied for funding to upgrade the changing rooms. [46415/14]
View answerThe Club referred to by the Deputy was provisionally allocated €50,000 under the 2014 Sports Capital Programme towards the refurbishment of their dressing rooms, showers and toilets and for the provision of security fencing. Three previous allocations to the Club in 2007, 2005 and 2001 have all been drawn down in full. The Club has been written to by the Department and has been informed of terms and conditions applicable to the grant and the information that they must provide to the Department to obtain formal approval and begin to draw down the grant. To date the Club has not provided any documentation to the Department. The Club are advised to forward all of the required documentation to my Department so that consideration can be given to granting formal approval for the project.
130. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to plans to erect noise reduction barriers along the M9 close to towns such as Kilcullen, County Kildare, in view of the increased volumes on the route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46420/14]
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.
Within its capital budget, the assessment and prioritisation of individual projects such as the M9 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.
131. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding the Irish airlines superannuation scheme, if he will confirm if the expert panel specifically considered the interests of deferred members, both shorter-service and long-service members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46432/14]
View answerThe Expert Panel was established by my Department, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, IBEC and ICTU to find a solution to the industrial relations issues relating to the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (IASS). It was tasked with finding the fairest way to distribute the burden of resolving the current deficit in the scheme, while addressing a range of other impediments.
The Panel engaged extensively with all the parties involved during its investigations and although it was not within the remit of the panel to address the issues concerning the deferred members of the scheme, the Panel met with representatives of the deferred members committee on two occasions. The Panel explained to the deferred representatives that the process it was involved in was an industrial relations process and that responsibility for dealing with the deferred members rested with the IASS Trustee through engagement with employers.
In its Report , published on 16 June 2014, the Panel recommended, inter alia, that the IASS Trustee engage with the employers on ways to alleviate as much of the impact of the Trustee proposals as possible whilst also recognising the overall affordability to the employers of the proposals for active and deferred members. It was the Panel’s view that these discussions should be informed by a set of principles which the Panel had discussed and agreed with the employers and communicated to the Trustee.
As a result of that Report, there was an uplift in the monies to be provided by the employers outside of the IASS, a significant proportion of which is intended for the deferred members to make a contribution towards mitigating the benefit cuts proposed by the IASS Trustee. This is an essential consequence of the process proposed by the Expert Panel.
Specifically, almost €20m in extra funding is being proposed by the employers in addition to the €40m already being made available for deferred members. The total contribution proposed by the employers aimed at resolving the IASS difficulties amounts to over €260m.
It is the Panel's definitive view that the 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.
132. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the case being taken by taxi drivers regarding the deregulation of the taxi industry a number of years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46445/14]
View answerThe cases were heard in the High Court before Judge Peart from 29 October to 18 December 2013. Judgment was reserved and a decision is awaited.
133. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the necessary funding to Longford County Council for a new gym for Longford town. [46476/14]
View answerI am delighted that I have been able to secure the agreement of the Government for funding to enable me to announce a further round of the Sports Capital Programme in 2015. This will be the third round of the SCP since this Government came into office, and details will be announced when they are finalised.
I would advise any organisation interested in applying for funding to register on www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie. A tax registration number is required to register and this can be obtained from The Office of the Revenue Commissioners.
134. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide the necessary funding for the new Flancare link road connecting the N6 to N63 in Longford Town. [46477/14]
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.
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, 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.
135. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will instruct the National Roads Authority to carry out consultations with the interested parties before a decision is taken for the new junction in Ballymahon town, County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46480/14]
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.
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, 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.
136. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the waiting lists for national car testing centres in Ballina, Westport, Sligo, Clifden and Galway; the steps he has taken to reduce these lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46492/14]
View answerThe Road Safety Authority has overall responsibility for the operation, oversight and delivery of the National Car Test and as such, statistics relating to waiting times in particular test centres are a matter for the Authority. I have therefore referred this question to the RSA for direct reply. Please advise my office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
137. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 599 of 25 November 2014, the number of farmers who participated in the National Parks and Wildlife Service farm plan scheme and the range of individual gross payments which farmers qualified for under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46405/14]
View answerSome 728 plans were approved by my Department under the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Farm Plan Scheme. Farmers were paid for the quantified costs of compliance, except where flat rate payments per hectare were agreed in advance.
The following plan types were paid at a flat rate per hectare, assuming eligibility and adherence to the appropriate prescriptions:
- Chough
- Corncrake (in the Shannon Callows)
- Hen Harrier
- Commonage Destocking (mainly in restricted areas of Mayo and Galway)
- Corncrake (in Mayo and Donegal)
- Breeding Wader (in the Shannon Callows)
With the exception of the commonage destocking plans, these plans were entered into on a voluntary basis. The relevant prescriptions were prepared and tailored to ensure that farming supported an improvement in the condition of the habitat or for the species being managed, under contract with the farmer. The NPWS Farm Plan Scheme was therefore designed to incentivise farmers to go above and beyond their statutory requirements and was not compensation for designation.
The payment rates that pertained under the various plan types are set out in the table. It may be noted that capital works may also be a part of individual plans and are paid according to costs incurred.
|
Plan Type |
Payment Rates |
|
Chough |
Payment at two rates: €250 per hectare up to 40 hectares; €25 per hectare for areas in excess of 40 hectares |
|
Corncrake (Shannon Callows) |
Payment at three rates: €450 per hectare, up to a maximum of 40 hectares, for meadow; €325 per hectare, up to a maximum of 40 hectares, for wet grassland, marsh or fen; €25 per hectare for areas in excess of 40 hectares |
|
Hen Harrier |
Payment at three rates: €350 per hectare up to 40 hectares; €25 per hectare from 40 to 120 hectares; €5 per hectare on lands greater than 120 hectares |
|
Commonage Destocking Plans |
€39.50 per destocked sheep per annum (reviewed annually); €50 per sheep per annum offwintered from commonage areas for a period of 5 months in Galway and €40 per annum in Mayo |
|
Corncrake (Mayo and Donegal) |
Measure 1: Creation of Early/Late Cover (ELC): €1.75 per m2 for the first 0.1 hectare; €1.50 per m2 for areas greater than 0.1 hectare (to a maximum of 0.5 hectares). Measure 2: Maintenance of ELC: Up to 0.1 hectares @ €880 per hectare; 0.11 – 0.25 hectares @ €440 per hectare; Greater than 0.26 hectares @ €275 per hectare; Measure 3: Delayed Mowing: July 15th meadow mowing: €275 per hectare; August 20th meadow mowing: €450 per hectare; September 1st meadow mowing: €510 per hectare; Measure 4: Delayed Grazing: Post-July 15th pasture grazing: €275 per hectare; Post-August 20th pasture grazing: €450 per hectare |
|
Breeding Wader |
Maximum rate for top quality habitat of €366 per hectare |
All plan payments other than those described above were calculated at farm level, on the basis of cost incurred or income foregone. This generally arose where a generic prescription was not applied. An example of this would be payments to farmers who tolerated losses by wintering wildfowl (geese and swans) in the Wexford Slobs. The costs to the farmer were established on a field by field basis and it was not possible to apply a generic prescription.
In general, payments to farmers were calculated on the area of eligible lands under appropriate management or the income foregone for compliance with an NPWS Farm Plan. Therefore, the range of payments to farmers per annum was from zero payment in a few cases, to substantial payments in a limited number of cases, where significant losses resulted from compliance at individual farm level.
138. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department will consider providing assistance in funding the purchase of a building (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46434/14]
View answerGiven the many competing priorities for funding the national heritage, resources are not available from my Department to consider the purchase of the building referred to by the Deputy. While the arts, culture and film division of my Department does provide some capital funding for cultural infrastructure and development, the level of funding has been limited in recent years and is not available for the purchase of buildings or land.
My role, as Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with regard to the protection and management of our built and natural heritage, is set out in the provisions of relevant legislation, together with the role of local authorities and the responsibilities of owners as regards heritage assets.
Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides for the protection of architectural heritage and gives local planning authorities primary responsibility to identify and protect architectural heritage by including structures on the Record of Protected Structures. I understand that the building in question is listed on the Record of Protected Structures of Cork County Council and is, therefore, afforded protection under the Act.
