Written Answers Nos. 595-600
595. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide financial support to a memorial fund (details supplied); if sports funding will be made available for this cause; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39358/15]
View answerThere is no discretionary funding available within my Department by which I could provide financial support for the memorial fund mentioned by the Deputy. I have had enquiries made with Sport Ireland, which is the statutory body with responsibility for the promotion, development and co-ordination of sport, including the allocation of funding across its various programmes. I am informed by Sport Ireland that there is no mechanism within any of its programmes by which it could provide funding for this cause.
596. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether road users are receiving a fair deal with regards to tolls, given the recent media reports of the enormous profits being made by private toll companies operating said installations; whether the number and price of tolled motorways, particularly in the Dublin commuter belt, are unfair to drivers who already pay motor tax; if he will review the manner in which his Department negotiates public private partnerships regarding roads and the operation of tolls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39359/15]
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 Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the relevant local authority.
The statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll by-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in TII under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007).
The contracts for the privately-operated toll schemes are commercial agreements between TII and the Public Private Partnership (PPP) concessionaires concerned.
Under the terms of the PPP Contracts the PPP Company has the right to levy toll charges in accordance with the Toll By-Laws. In this context toll revenues are one element of the financial package put in place to enable these high quality roads to be constructed and represent contractual commitments for the duration of the concession.
In relation to the toll on the M50 and the Dublin Port Tunnel, the revenue generated is used to meet road networks costs, including the buyout of the Westlink bridge and the M50 upgrade availability payments.
597. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 8 of 23 September 2015, if he will provide specific details of each of the occasions that munitions permit applications were received with less than 48 hours' notice in 2015; the number of times it happened in 2014 and 2015; for each occasion, how much notice was given; if the aircraft landed; the location it was coming from and going to; the reason the application was not made sooner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39392/15]
View answerMy Department requests that airlines make permit applications under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order, 1973 at least 48 hours prior to the flight in question. The vast majority of applications received adhere to this request. Occasionally, applications are received inside the 48 hour notice period and are processed if the time available permits. All the necessary procedures and consultations are completed before a permit is issued.
My Department does not collate data on the number of occasions there is a late application, but it is a very small number.
598. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will meet with this Deputy to discuss the lack of progress of the Navan to Dublin rail line. [39395/15]
View answerThe National Transport Authority published its draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (2016-2035) on 15 October 2016. In appraising options for the Navan-City Centre transport corridor the draft strategy notes that, based on population and employment forecasts, the level of travel demand between Navan, Dunshaughlin and various stations to the City Centre is insufficient to justify the development of a high capacity rail link.
Instead, the draft strategy proposes an enhanced bus service along the M3/N3 which would be sufficient to meet future demand up to 2035, in conjunction with the development of a bus hub in Navan.
The draft strategy is subject to a statutory public consultation; members of the public and all interested parties are invited to review the proposals, and the supporting documentation, on the Authority's website (www.nationaltransport.ie) and to make submissions to the Authority, before the deadline of Friday, November 13, 2015.
599. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the profits of the Dublin Airport Authority, and the return that has been made to the Exchequer for the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39418/15]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is contained in daa's Annual Reports and Financial Statements, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library or on the company's website www.daa.ie.
600. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the benefit-to-cost ratio of the revised metro north project announced in the capital plan 2016 to 2021, when measured using traditional cost-benefit analysis; the benefit-to-cost ratio when the wider economic benefits are taken into account; and the economic case and appraisals for the project using different growth scenarios and benefit-to-cost ratio sensitivity tests. [39457/15]
View answerThe decision to include the new Metro North project in the Capital Plan (2016-2021) was based on the conclusions and recommendations of the Fingal/North Dublin Transport Study, which was undertaken by NTA. As part of the study, the technical and operational feasibility, environmental impact and cost of each shortlisted scheme was developed and detailed transport modelling undertaken to understand how each scheme might respond to future travel demand within the study area. The economic analysis established a comparative benefit to cost ratio of the new Metro North option as 1.5. The NTA, in its role as Sanctioning Authority, will now prepare the full business case for the project, in accordance with the Government's Public Spending Code. In light of the NTA’s responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure in the GDA, I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Authority for a more detailed response. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.
