Written Answers Nos. 602-611
602. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide, in tabular form per annum since 2009 and to date in 2014, the total number of freedom of information requests received by his Department; the total refused; the total granted; the total part-granted; the total appealed; the total successful appeals; the total part-successful appeals; the total refusals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49251/14]
View answerThe data requested by the Deputy are provided in the Table.
FOI Requests received in the Department between 2009 and 2014 (to 17 Dec.)
|
Year |
Total Requests |
Refused |
Granted |
Part-granted |
Withdrawn* |
Total Appeals |
Grant |
Part-Grant |
Refuse† |
|
1 |
2 [3+4+5+6] |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 [8+9+10] |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
2009 |
117 |
26 |
37 |
27 |
27 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
|
2010 |
114 |
17 |
31 |
44 |
22 |
7 |
- |
4 |
3 |
|
2011 |
86 |
14 |
25 |
36 |
11 |
4 |
- |
1 |
3 |
|
2012 |
125 |
21 |
30 |
39 |
35 |
4 |
- |
3 |
1 |
|
2013 |
84 |
12 |
14 |
36 |
22 |
6 |
- |
2 |
4 |
|
2014‡ |
93 |
3 |
18 |
25 |
27 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
* This heading includes FOI Requests which were handled outside of FOI. It also includes 1 Request transferred to another Department in 2009 and 2 thus transferred in 2012.
Appeals: this is equivalent to Department Internal Reviews. Thus, Col. 7 is a sub-group of Col. 2.
† The heading Refusal is taken to mean that the original Request Decision was upheld.
‡ For 2014, 20 Requests from the total of 93 remain to be decided (these are largely the most recent requests received) and 2 of the 5 appeals received are not yet concluded.
603. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide, in tabular form per annum, all external consultant reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011; the costs per report; the company involved; the title of the report; and the publication date. [49266/14]
View answer605. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total legal costs incurred by his Department in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and estimated for 2014. [49347/14]
View answer610. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total external public relations costs incurred by his Department in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and estimated for 2014. [49388/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 603, 605 and 610 together.
The information requested by the Deputy is published on my Department's website and can be found at the following link, which covers spending on all external services. http://www.dttas.ie/corporate/english/expenditure-external-services
604. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide, in tabular form, the total amount spent per annum in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 on staff subsistence payments and taxi payments; if his Department has been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits-in-kind; if these processes have been revised in view of Revenue Commissioners' concerns over practices in other State bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49332/14]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy regarding subsistence and taxi payments is set out in the table.
My Department has been audited recently by the Revenue Commissioners for tax compliance. No issues were raised in this regard.
Travel and taxi usage policies are reviewed on a regular basis. Changes in relevant circulars issued centrally by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are notified to all Departmental staff as a matter of course.
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 (to 16/12/14) |
|
T&S |
€761,229.05 |
€908,416.18 |
€954,234.07 |
€767,594.40 |
|
Taxis |
€28,307.86 |
€33,001.57 |
€23,619 |
€22,268.20 |
606. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied that the Irish Aviation Authority has the IT infrastructure and resources necessary to prevent any interruption in operations in Irish airspace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49370/14]
View answerI am satisfied that the Irish Aviation Authority undertakes the necessary investment to ensure that its infrastructure and resources facilitate the effective delivery of air navigation services in accordance with its legislative mandate as laid down in the Irish Aviation Authority Act, 1993.
Notwithstanding this, I have referred the Deputy's question to the IAA with a view to a further direct response.
If you do not receive a response within ten working days, please revert to my office.
607. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the proposal to build a second runway at Dublin Airport; the current capacity of Dublin Airport to engage new business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49371/14]
View answer613. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding usage of the runways at Dublin Airport; his plans for a new runway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49393/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 607 and 613 together.
The matters raised by the Deputies in relation to the usage of the runways at Dublin Airport, current capacity at the airport and proposals to build a second runway fall within the operational responsibilities of DAA. It should be noted that DAA operates under a clear commercial mandate, its operations are entirely funded from its own resources and it receives no Government funding. Accordingly, I have referred the question to the company for direct reply. I would ask the Deputies to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten working days.
I would like to add, however, that the National Aviation Policy currently being finalised by my Department, supports measures to ensure that the infrastructure necessary for the airport's position as a secondary hub operating to global markets without weight restrictions is available when needed. My expectation is that such infrastructure will include the provision of a second runway.
608. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of sports capital programme applications that were made in 2014; the number of these that were rejected; the reason for their rejection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49372/14]
View answer609. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide, in tabular form by county, basis the percentage of the sports capital programme fund allocated in 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the total funds allocated by county in those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49373/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 608 and 609 together.
Information on allocations for the year in question is available on the Department's website.
A total of 2,036 applications were received under the 2014 round of the Sports Capital Programme. €40.5m was allocated to 880 separate projects. There were 736 invalid applications and 420 valid but unsuccessful applications.
Given the level of demand for funding and the amount of funding available under the Programme, it is unfortunately not possible to allocate grants to every valid application.
I do not consider it appropriate to publish details of why individual applications were deemed invalid. However applications were deemed invalid primarily for one or more of the following reasons:
- Title/Access requirements of the Sports Capital Programme not satisfied;
- Insufficient evidence of planning permission, planning application, or exemption from planning;
- Evidence of own funding not provided in prescribed format;
- Insufficient own funding.
All applicants were informed of the outcome of the assessment of their application, including details of why an application was deemed to be invalid.
611. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the route that tankers bringing aviation fuel to Dublin Airport take from Dublin Port; the health and safety precautions that are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49391/14]
View answerLegislation governing the carriage of dangerous goods by road is based on the European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods By Road (ADR). Current regulations are published on the Health and Safety Authority's (HSA) ADR web pages. The relevant legislation covers general participant duties, the practical safe transport of dangerous goods, competent authorities, powers of enforcement, offences and penalties. While the HSA, which reports to the Department for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, has overall responsibility, other competent authorities are designated to perform specific functions under the legislation. These include the Road Safety Authority (in respect of the technical examination of vehicles and the issue of annual certificates of approval) and the National Roads Authority (in respect of carriage of dangerous goods through tunnels, including the Dublin Port Tunnel).
While my Department does not have a function in relation to the routing of tankers carrying aviation fuel from Dublin Port to Dublin Airport, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NRA for direct reply in relation to the carriage of aviation fuel through Dublin Port Tunnel.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
