Written Answers Nos. 518-537
518. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a breakdown, by county, of money awarded under the better energy homes scheme since 2009. [19624/15]
View answerThe Better Energy Homes Scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) under the Better Energy Programme. Better Energy Homes provides a financial incentive to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades, solar thermal panels and accompanying BER. In March of this year I announced increases of between 25% and 50% in the grant levels awarded to householders under the scheme. In addition, a bonus payment has been introduced for householders that complete three or more energy efficiency improvements.
The importance of improving our energy efficiency for reducing our harmful emissions cannot be overstated. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday published its report on Ireland's Greenhouse Gas Emission Projections 2014-2035. The report finds that significant additional effort is required by Ireland to meet our 2020 emissions targets, particularly in energy efficiency and renewable energy. Currently, emissions from the residential sector account for 10% of our total emissions. The report highlights the importance of the Better Energy Programme in delivering the emissions reductions necessary in the residential sector to 2020.
A breakdown on the amount of grants awarded under the Better Energy Homes Scheme on a county by county basis from 2009 is provided in the following table:
|
County |
Total Amount Spent |
|
Dublin |
€40,649,542.16 |
|
Cork |
€24,503,987.74 |
|
Limerick |
€13,072,441.40 |
|
Galway |
€11,031,468.88 |
|
Kerry |
€8,344,621.40 |
|
Clare |
€7,962,888.51 |
|
Tipperary |
€7,932,038.57 |
|
Waterford |
€7,040,037.15 |
|
Wexford |
€5,202,341.54 |
|
Kildare |
€4,750,920.01 |
|
Mayo |
€4,666,536.19 |
|
Meath |
€4,426,834.30 |
|
Wicklow |
€4,301,676.94 |
|
Donegal |
€4,138,553.85 |
|
Louth |
€3,699,502.33 |
|
Kilkenny |
€3,110,023.03 |
|
Monaghan |
€3,063,718.04 |
|
Cavan |
€2,808,210.52 |
|
Westmeath |
€2,487,613.68 |
|
Roscommon |
€2,263,739.55 |
|
Laois |
€1,880,960.57 |
|
Sligo |
€1,879,561.56 |
|
Offaly |
€1,720,753 |
|
Carlow |
€1,463,406.01 |
|
Longford |
€1,234,148.05 |
|
Leitrim |
€887,380 |
|
Grand Total |
€174,522,904.98 |
519. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the proposed postal codes; when the postcode will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19639/15]
View answerEircodes, the national postcode system for Ireland, is currently in the implementation phase and is on target to be launched this summer. Every Irish address, residential and business, will be sent a notification by post this summer with the eircode enclosed.
Legislation in order to address data protection elements of the project has been published and will be initiated in the Dáil shortly.
I will announce the actual launch date for Eircodes in the next few weeks.
520. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding Electricity Supply Board pensions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19671/15]
View answerI refer to the replies to Questions Nos 469 of 27 April, 2015, 208 of 7 May, 2015 and 201 and 202 of 12 May, 2015. The position is unchanged.
521. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when an area (details supplied) in County Meath can expect next generation broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19698/15]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan 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 €2.5 billion in network upgrades and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next two years. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.
Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas that will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016.
The AMBER areas show the target areas for the State intervention and includes The Ward, Co Meath. All premises within the AMBER areas will be included in the State's intervention.
More generally I can confirm that next generation broadband services have been rolled out to over 28,000 premises to date in Co Meath with a further 23,000 expected to be served over the next 18 months. The remaining 31,000 premises in Co Meath are the target for the proposed State intervention under the National Broadband Plan.
Intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy for the AMBER area. Following a public consultation process on the draft Intervention Strategy this summer, I hope to move to formal procurement phase towards the end of this year in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders.
I expect the physical build of the network to begin in late 2016, and it will take between three and five years to fully complete – depending on the details of the bid or bids selected.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government and aims to conclusively address current broadband connectivity issues in mainly rural parts of the country.
522. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the investment in broadband in an area (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19781/15]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan 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 €2.5 billion in network upgrades and enhanced services with approximately 1.6 million of the 2.3 million premises in Ireland expected to have access to commercial high speed broadband services over the next two years. These very significant investments represent a step-change in the quality of broadband services available.
Last November I published a national high speed coverage map for 2016. This map is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. The areas marked BLUE represent those areas that will have access to commercial high speed broadband services by end 2016.
The AMBER areas show the target areas for the State intervention and includes Calverstown, County Kildare. All premises within the AMBER areas will be included in the State's intervention.
More generally I can confirm that next generation broadband services have been rolled out to over 54,000 premises to date in Co Kildare with a further 13,600 expected to be served over the next 18 months. The remaining 20,536 premises in Co Kildare are the target for the proposed State intervention under the National Broadband Plan.
Intensive design and planning work is underway in my Department to produce a detailed intervention strategy for the AMBER area. Following a public consultation process on the draft intervention Strategy this summer, I hope to move to formal procurement phase towards the end of this year in order to select a preferred bidder or bidders.
I expect the physical build of the network to begin in late 2016, and it will take between three and five years to fully complete – depending on the details of the bid or bids selected.
This complex and ambitious project is a key priority for Government and aims to conclusively address current broadband connectivity issues in mainly rural parts of the country.
523. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 447 of 28 April 2015, if funding has been allocated to any sector of the eel fishing community under any European Union directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19789/15]
View answerAs outlined in my response to Question No. 447 on 28 April last, no funding was provided by the European Union, in the context of EU regulation 1100/2007, for the provision of a hardship scheme and no property right attaches to public eel licences.
The position has not changed.
524. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount spent by his Department in legal fees in 2012, 2013, and 2014 in appealing decisions taken by the High Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20158/15]
View answerMy Department has not incurred any legal fees in appealing decisions taken by the High Court during the years in question.
525. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason for the exclusion of Youghal, County Cork, as a heritage town from Ireland's Ancient East; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19305/15]
View answerWhile my Department provides the capital funding for investment in tourism offerings such as Ireland's Ancient East, it is not directly involved in developing or managing these. The development of Ireland's Ancient East is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly I have referred the question to the agency for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
However, the Deputy may wish to note that despite any misconceptions which may have arisen since its launch, Youghal is not only included in Ireland's Ancient East but will have a significant role to play in the initiative. Ireland's Ancient East extends from Carlingford to Cork and Cavan to Carnsore and is based on 5,000 years of history, heritage and culture all located in that relatively compact region. This new touring region will seek to attract international visitors by building on the wealth of historical and cultural assets in the region – including East Cork.
I understand that tourism operators from East Cork and indeed the Deputy attended an initial Ireland's Ancient East stakeholder workshop in The Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel last week on 13 May, to learn more about the new initiative and to discuss how this will be brought to life in the East Cork area. I would urge tourism operators and communities to embrace this new tourism initiative and capitalise on the opportunities it will present to generate more visitors and tourism revenue, as those communities and operators along the Wild Atlantic Way have embraced that initiative.
526. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on persons under 20 years of age obtaining car insurance, when they are on provisional licences; if all insurance companies operating here will quote for this business, or if there is a restricted market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19741/15]
View answerThe provision of insurance cover and the price at which it is offered is a commercial matter for insurance companies, operating in an open and competitive market, and is based on an assessment of risk, including the cost and frequency of claims, and adequate provisioning to meet such risk and it is not a matter in which the Government can intervene. I have no role in the regulation of insurers.
An Garda Síochána accident statistics for 2014 show that 25% of drivers killed on our roads last year were between the ages of 18 and 25. Because of the higher risk of collisions, deaths and injuries among learner drivers, since 2006, we have progressively introduced Graduated Driver Licensing measures for such drivers (stronger rules on being accompanied by full licence holders, compulsory driving lessons, lower blood alcohol limits, etc.) that are designed to protect them until they have built up enough experience.
At present there are over 30 insurers writing motor insurance business in Ireland, as listed on the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) website. However, some motor insurance companies may not quote or may be more reluctant to quote for persons in higher risk categories such as persons not on a full licence or persons with a high number of penalty points. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (consumerhelp.ie/car-insurance) advise that consumers should get their full licence as soon as possible so as to reduce the cost of their insurance.
527. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the proposed Cork to Limerick motorway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19156/15]
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.
Given the national financial position, there have been very large reductions in roads expenditure over the past number of years. The reality is that the available funds do not match the amount of work which could be undertaken. For this reason it has not been possible to progress a range of worthwhile projects and the main focus has to be on the maintenance and repair of roads and this will remain the position in the coming years. The scope for progressing new major road improvement projects will be very much dependent on the availability of funding in the future as the economy recovers further.
In 2011 my predecessor indicated to the NRA that it should withdraw its application to An Bord Pleanála for the M20 Cork to Limerick route. I understand Minister Varadkar was concerned that to proceed any further with the scheme to build the M20 would have exposed the NRA to significant costs arising from a consequent requirement to purchase the CPO'd land within a limited timeframe. This would have had to be done without the reasonable prospect of proceeding to the construction stage quickly.
Given continuing budget constraints and the need to focus on road maintenance and renewal, I do not currently plan to review this decision.
528. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the future of Cork Airport. [19157/15]
View answer529. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding his meetings with Cork Airport management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19158/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 528 and 529 together.
As the Deputy is aware, national policy in relation to the future of Cork Airport was decided by Government in May, 2012 in the context of the decision to separate Shannon Airport from daa. The Government decided at that time that the existing ownership of Cork Airport by DAA would be maintained for the present.
The draft National Aviation Plan (NAP), which is now at an advanced stage and will be published shortly, restates Government Policy in relation to Cork. It also recognises Cork Airport's role as a key tourism and business gateway for the region, its strategic importance serving Ireland's second city and its hinterland, and identifies the potential for the airport to stabilise and grow traffic.
Cork Airport is the second largest airport in Ireland and vital for business and tourism in the Cork region. Last year some 2.1 million passengers used the Airport. Cork Airport has 42 scheduled routes and offers excellent award winning passenger facilities and connectivity into three major European hub airports.
Of course we are all concerned at the fall in passenger numbers at Cork Airport. However, following my visit to the Airport and meetings with DAA and Cork Airport management, I believe there are opportunities to increase passenger numbers particularly in the area of incoming tourists. Accordingly, I have engaged with Tourism Ireland on the matter and significant co-operative marketing activity has been undertaken with carriers serving Cork Airport to promote flights to Cork and boost travel to the wider regions.
However, these marketing activities have to be underpinned by a cohesive product brand for the Cork region, providing a clear selling point for Cork as a destination in itself and as a gateway to other attractive destinations in Ireland. I am pleased that a Task Force comprising the two local authorities, the Chamber and the Tourism agencies along with DAA and the Irish Tourism Operators Association, is now working on delivering just such a destination brand for Cork, as well as a strategy and implementation plan for maximising inbound tourism growth opportunities.
I urge everybody with an interest in securing the future of Cork Airport to work together to develop and exploit these opportunities.
530. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be made available to Cork County Council to carry out works to the viewing area at a location (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19197/15]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads (such as the R634) is the statutory responsibility of Cork County Council, 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 also a matter for the local authority.
My Department has provided funding of €1.2m since 2012 (including an allocation of €255,750 in 2015) to the Youghal Road Wall Collapse, broken down as follows;
|
Year |
Payment |
|
2012 |
€127,696 |
|
2013 |
€486,649 |
|
2014 |
€383,330 |
|
2015 |
€255,750* |
|
Total |
€1,253,425 |
*Allocation
Any further funding associated with a viewing platform/area is a matter for Cork County Council.
531. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason an area (details supplied) in County Mayo, that is situated along the Wild Atlantic Way, has been excluded from the maps and marketing of the route; if he will officially include this area on the route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19233/15]
View answerWhile my Department provides the capital funding for investment in tourism offerings such as the Wild Atlantic Way, it is not directly involved in developing or managing these. The development of the Wild Atlantic Way is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly I have referred the question to the agency for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
The Deputy should be aware that the route of the Wild Atlantic Way was developed using a collaborative approach; regional steering groups were convened to inform route development. The steering groups comprised Fáilte Ireland, Local Authorities, local LEADER and Development companies and other key agencies such as Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Western Development Commission and others as relevant to each particular region.
For those communities that are not on the route it is important to note that the actual route is not simply a touring route but is rather a means to guide and attract visitors, and that all villages, businesses and geographic areas within close proximity of the route are in essence part of the geography of the Wild Atlantic Way. The purpose of the Wild Atlantic Way is to give guidance to visitors as to what there is to see on our western coast, and provide easy access to a range of experiences along the route and so enable local businesses to take advantage of the benefits of the Wild Atlantic Way. My advice to communities on and near to the Wild Atlantic Way is to focus on how to use the route to generate more tourism revenue and not to focus on specific details of the route.
532. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a sports capital grant to finalise Cordal Gaelic Athletic Association's project (details supplied) in County Kerry, in view of the fact this is the second and concluding part of transforming its previously unplayable pitch, with the aid of the sports capital grant and local fund-raising; if he will prioritise this application to enable this progressive club to have fully developed inclusive community grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19299/15]
View answerI can confirm that an application has been submitted by the organisation referred to by the Deputy under the 2015 Sports Capital Programme and the Deputy's support for the project is noted.
I expect to announce allocations later this year.
533. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the proposed non-stop morning route by Iarnród Éireann, from Cork to Dublin, is not going ahead as planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19389/15]
View answerThe issue raised is a matter for Iarnród Éireann and 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.
534. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding that has been awarded to basketball clubs in the Dundalk area, County Louth, excluding schools, in the years 2011 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19406/15]
View answerDetails of all allocations made under the Sports Capital Programme are available on the Department's website www.dttas.ie.
No applications were received from organisations in County Louth that identified their main sport as basketball in the period referred to by the Deputy.
535. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a breakdown of each of the Bus Éireann routes that are proposed to be privatised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19508/15]
View answerNo services are being privatised. What is being proposed is a tender process, under the aegis of the National Transport Authority (NTA), in respect of a small segment of the overall number of publicly-subvented bus routes. The routes will continue to be provided through public subvention and under the supervision of the NTA. Both Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus will be able to bid in the tendering process when it starts in mid-2015.
The actual breakdown of each of the Bus Éireann routes to be tendered out is a matter for the 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.
536. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware that, despite many hotels being advertised as being disability accessible, there are often many difficulties inside hotel bedrooms for persons with disabilities, in areas such as bed height and bathroom access; his views that it would be beneficial for persons with disabilities who look to book specific hotels, to provide a new categorisation system on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19514/15]
View answerMatters in relation to the formal regulation of accommodation are operational matters for the Board and management of Fáilte Ireland. Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy’s question to Fáilte Ireland for further information and direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
More generally, matters in relation to access for people with disabilities are matters for the National Disability Authority, which falls under the aegis of the Minister for Justice and Equality, and it may be wise to raise this matter with that Minister as well.
537. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of valid hackney licences in circulation for each of the past five years. [19574/15]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including the issue and renewal of SPSV licences, 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 to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
