Written Answers Nos. 469 - 483
469. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of funding Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council are receiving in 2016 for the repair of the surface of key streets and main arteries given the lack of street surface repairs since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8018/16]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants, where applicable. In addition traffic management measures are also the responsibility of the relevant local authority.
Arising from the introduction of the Local Property Tax and the Government commitment that local authorities will retain 80% of the tax revenues, the four Dublin Councils became self-funding for regional and local roads under the main road grant categories from 2015.
470. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of tertiary roads and culs-de-sac which underwent local improvement schemes and community improvement schemes, in tabular form, by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8468/16]
View answerThe 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 also a matter for the local authority.
There has been longstanding provision for local authorities to seek community involvement in the improvement and maintenance work on suitable local roads and to facilitate this local authorities are able to allocate a portion of their grant funding to eligible schemes.
A separate Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) pilot scheme did operate for two years in 2013 and 2014. Following its completion the scheme reverted back to allowing local authorities to set aside 7.5% of their Restoration Improvement (RI) and Restoration Maintenance (RM) grants for CIS schemes if they so wish.
The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) provides funding for road and laneways that councils have not taken in charge. That is, private roads and landways, the maintenance and improvement of which is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant landowner. A grant allocation was provided to local authorities towards LIS up to 2012.
While the LIS for regional and local roads remains in place, since 2012 my Department does not provide a separate grant allocation towards this scheme. Instead local authorities may use a proportion of State grant funding for LIS should they wish to do so. Where local authorities elect to operate the LIS, applications are made directly to the local authority.
As the operation of both the CIS and LIS schemes is managed locally by the relevant local authority my Department does not have details of schemes undertaken in local authority areas or the costs involved.
471. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to support a matter (details supplied) regarding aircraft noise pollution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8048/16]
View answerAs the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is the Competent Authority in Ireland with the responsibility, inter alia, of ensuring that airport authorities adopt a balanced approach in dealing with noise-related matters at airports, it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in the manner suggested by the Deputy. The IAA exercises its responsibilities by reference to EU legislative provisions and I have asked the IAA to liaise directly with the Deputy. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my private office.
472. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of any penalties imposed on public transport companies in the years 2013 to 2015 and to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8016/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, public transport companies would include private sector companies such as privately owned bus companies and Transdev, the Luas operator as well as the CIE public transport operators for which I have shareholder responsibility. I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the CIE companies concerned for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
473. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the further preparatory work being carried out on the proposed Dublin Airport Luas-metro in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8019/16]
View answerThe 'New Metro North' scheme was chosen as the most appropriate public transport solution to address the future transport needs of the Swords/Airport/City Centre Corridor under the Fingal/North Dublin Transport Study carried out by the NTA in 2015. The scheme has been included in the Government’s new Capital Plan 'Building on Recovery Infrastructure & Capital Investment 2016-2021’.
As I previously informed the Deputy, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has commenced initial work on the design and planning stages of the scheme in collaboration with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), and in line with their Project Management Guidelines.
TII have appointed a Project Director for the project and the first project steering group meeting took place at the beginning of March to discuss the scope and brief for the new revised scheme. Subject to compliance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code, it is expected that construction of the project would commence in 2021 with a view to delivery by 2026/27.
474. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the motorway toll usage by residents of County Meath in each of the years 2012 to 2015, in tabular form. [8065/16]
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 (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Furthermore, 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 Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007-2015).
As the contracts for the privately-operated toll schemes are commercial agreements between TII and the PPP concessionaires concerned I have referred the Deputy's question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you don’t receive a reply within 10 working days.
475. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding he has provided and the locations in which funding has been provided for building or refurbishing swimming pools in each of the years 2011 to 2015 and to date in 2016; his plans to re-open the list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8076/16]
View answerWhile no additional pools have been included in the main Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP) during the 2011 to 2015 period, several of the existing LASPP projects progressed to the formal allocation stage during that time. Those projects were:
2011 - Ballybofey/Stranorlar - €3.8m
2011 - Loughlinstown - €3.8m
2013 - De Paul Navan Road - €1.261m
2013 - Clara - €784,000
2015 - Dunmanway - €3.8m
2015 - Castlebar - €3.8m
More recently, in January of this year, the Department contacted local authorities and sought expressions of interest in a limited round of swimming pool allocations, subject to funding becoming available from other projects where those projects would not be progressed. There were three expressions of interest received for new pools, two of which were valid and both in Dublin. Having assessed existing commitments and the funding available (including funding that will become available from withdrawn projects) it is considered prudent to progress an additional new pool project. Following consideration of the expressions of interest, and the two valid proposals for new pools, I have included a proposal from South Dublin County Council (SDCC) for a new swimming pool in Lucan in the LASPP. The Department will be in touch with SDCC regarding the next steps to be taken.
Details of the LASPP allocations under the special energy efficiency/enhanced disabled access initiatives from 2011 to 2015 inclusive can be found on the Department's website at the following link http://www.dttas.ie/sport/english/allocations-and-payments.
476. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will open the sports capital programme for 2016 to applications. [8078/16]
View answerNo decision has been made on the timing of any future rounds of the Sports Capital Programme. Any future rounds of the Programme will be advertised in the national press.
Any interested group should register now on www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie as this will be the only way to apply under any future rounds of the Programme.
477. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when it is expected that a further call for applications will be made under the sports capital programme; the date the last call was made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8115/16]
View answerNo decision has been made on the timing of any future rounds of the Sports Capital Programme. Any future rounds of the Programme will be advertised in the national press.
The 2015 Sports Capital Programme was advertised on 10 March 2015.
Any interested group should register now on www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie as this will be the only way to apply under any future rounds of the Programme.
478. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the action he has taken with management of Iarnród Éireann and management's threat to take action against the trade unions in the High Court, given their failure to engage in the workplace relations machinery of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8126/16]
View answerThe Deputy is aware that industrial relations issues are a matter for the relevant employer and its employees and it is not an area in which I have a direct function.
I am of course aware that there has been a recent exchange of letters between Iarnród Éireann and trade unions in relation to certain issues.
These issues are best resolved through ongoing dialogue and the State's industrial relations bodies are available to the parties if required.
479. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amounts actually spent on local improvement schemes in each local authority area in counties Galway and Mayo, in respect of each of the past five years; the projected spend for 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8112/16]
View answerThe 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 also a matter for the local authority.
There has been longstanding provision for local authorities to seek community involvement in the improvement and maintenance work on suitable local roads and to facilitate this local authorities are able to allocate a portion of their grant funding to eligible schemes.
A separate Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) pilot scheme did operate for two years in 2013 and 2014. Following its completion the scheme reverted back to allowing local authorities to set aside 7.5% of their Restoration Improvement (RI) and Restoration Maintenance (RM) grants for CIS schemes if they so wish.
The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) provides funding for road and laneways that councils have not taken in charge. That is, private roads and landways, and the maintenance and improvement of which is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant landowner. A grant allocation was provided to local authorities towards LIS up to 2012.
While the LIS for regional and local roads remains in place, since 2012 my Department does not provide a separate grant allocation towards this scheme. Instead local authorities may use a proportion of State grant funding for LIS should they wish to do so. Where local authorities elect to operate the LIS, applications are made directly to the local authority.
As the operation of both the CIS and LIS schemes is managed locally by the relevant local authority my Department does not have details of applications in local authority areas or the costs involved. A table is provided showing grant expenditure on CIS schemes for County Galway and Mayo and the number of schemes involved for the two years the pilot CIS scheme was managed by the Department.
|
- |
County Galway |
County Mayo |
||
|
- |
2013 |
2014 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
Grant Expenditure |
€160,221 |
€168,878 |
€231,787 |
€677,687 |
|
Number of Schemes |
14 |
9 |
29 |
27 |
480. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons who travelled from County Kildare to County Dublin by train on each working day in March 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8155/16]
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 response within ten working days.
481. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the practice of car rental companies requesting significant credit card deposits for damage excesses when tourists arrive to pick up rental vehicles at airports; if he will raise these concerns with rental car companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8204/16]
View answerFirstly, I must state that I have no regulatory function in relation to the car rental industry. However, the two tourism agencies under the aegis of my Department include information and advice on their websites regarding car rental in Ireland. In this way, they aim to make tourists aware of issues pertaining to car rental and avoid misunderstandings or unforeseen charges.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, under the remit of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, is responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection legislation. The practices and the terms and conditions of car rental companies' contracts with consumers must comply with the provisions of relevant consumer protection legislation.
I am also advised by the Minister that, in 2015, the European Commission in co-operation with enforcement authorities in a number of Member States engaged with the five main European car rental companies with a view to ensuring that their practices were in line with the requirements of European Union consumer protection legislation. The companies concerned undertook to make a number of changes to their commercial practices and terms and conditions. This included the provision of clearer information about deposits charged on the consumer's payment card and giving consumers a reasonable opportunity to challenge charges for damage before any payment is taken from the consumer's card.
Finally, I am also aware that the Car Rental Council of Ireland, an industry body representing the main car rental companies, operates its own Code of Practice for its members. Amongst other commitments, this states that a member company "shall in particular provide detailed information on the various options that are available for areas such as fuel policy, damage excess and allowed mileage".
482. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he provide an update on the progress of the proposed M20 Cork to Limerick motorway; if he will acknowledge the importance of this infrastructure to the region and the urgent need to progress this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8299/16]
View answerThe transport element of the Capital Plan published in September 2015 provided for some targeted investment in a number of new projects including the N8/N25 Dunkettle Interchange and the N22 Ballybourney to Macroom schemes in Cork. In addition a number of other schemes, targeted at removing bottlenecks and upgrading port access, will commence subject to development consent. These include the Mallow Relief Road, Adare By-Pass and the N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy Road. It was not possible to include the M20 in the Capital Plan as the scale of investment to deliver it as originally proposed was not affordable.
However, as part of its work on the proposed Mallow Relief Road, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is examining whether the Mallow project can be progressed in such a way that it facilitates the development of the M20 in phases. If work on that project and additional studies show that a phased approach is feasible, it could be considered as part of the planned mid-term review of the Capital Plan. In the meantime, TII will be funding feasibility studies on a phased development this year.
483. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will review driving licences regulations for a person (details supplied) who wishes to keep both licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8300/16]
View answerIrish driver licensing legislation operates within a framework of EU law.
Under EU requirements, a person receives a driving licence from a Member State if they are 'normally resident' in that Member State. If a person is not normally resident in Ireland they are not eligible for an Irish driving licence. In cases where a person divides their time between Ireland and a country with which Ireland has an agreement on mutual exchange of driving licences, they should have only one licence.
In the case to which the Deputy refers, if the person's place of ordinary residence is Ireland they should have an Irish licence and can drive in Canada on that licence on a visitor basis. If their place of normal residence is Canada then they should retain their Canadian licence, and would be able to drive on that licence in Ireland on a visitor basis for up to a year. It is not possible to hold both an Irish and a Canadian driving licence at the same time.
