Written Answers Nos. 147-151
147. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a bilateral agreement is in place between Ireland and the United States of America, or a multilateral agreement to which both countries are a party, which has been voted on by Dáil Éireann and which provides for the exemption from en-route charges for military flights by the United States of America; and if he will provide details of this agreement, if it exists. [9267/16]
View answerThere is no such bilateral or multilateral agreement in place. The current exemption arrangements stem from Ireland's membership of Eurocontrol, a European intergovernmental organisation established in 1960 for the safety of Air Navigation.
In common with most of Eurocontrol's 41 Member States, Ireland exempts military flights of Member States of Eurocontrol, the United States and Canada from payment of en route air navigation charges. This discretionary arrangement has applied since Ireland joined the Eurocontrol en route charging scheme in the 1970s.
148. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he evaluates the need for the promotion and development of sporting and recreational facilities, with a view to ensuring a fair and equitable distribution of such facilities, and with particular reference to the need to encourage more young persons to participate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9304/16]
View answerThe Sports Capital Programme (SCP) is the Government’s primary vehicle for supporting the development of sports facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment. While the terms and conditions of the SCP are subject to change from time to time, a three stage assessment process has recently been used to assess applications (i.e. applications received under the 2015 SCP).
All applications received are assessed by officials in the Department. Every application is assessed by one official and reviewed by another official. Applications are first checked to ensure eligibility and eligible applications are then initially scored by officials against five criteria designed to give higher scores to applications: (i) that would increase participation including by the sharing of facilities; (ii) that are from designated disadvantaged areas; (iii) that had not received substantial funding in the past and (iv) that are in a position to be progressed quickly.
In deciding the final allocations of funding to projects within each county, regard is paid to a number of factors, including:
- The performance of each application during the assessment process
- Ensuring a geographical spread of projects within each county
- Ensuring an appropriate spread of projects between rural and urban areas within each county and
- Ensuring that there is a spread of projects among different sports
For the 2012, 2014 and 2015 rounds of the Programme it was decided that counties that had fared less well under previous rounds of the programme would receive more money per capita than counties that had previously received more than their per capita share.
It is also important to note that the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP) is another means by which the Department assists in the promotion of participation in sport through the development of sporting and recreational facilities. 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 one 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.
149. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he evaluates employment creation opportunities, directly and indirectly, through co-ordinated efforts between the areas of transport, tourism and sport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9305/16]
View answerMy Department's Mission Statement is to ensure that the transport, tourism and sport sectors make the greatest possible contribution to economic recovery, fiscal consolidation, job creation and social development. As an Island, accessibility is a major focus and I have constantly sought to ensure that synergies between transport, tourism and sport are exploited to improve access to the country, enhance competitiveness and also create job opportunities. It can be seen from our programmes that linkages and opportunities between the transport, tourism and sports sectors are identified and exploited.
In tourism this year we will build on the achievements of 2015. CSO figures show, that trips to Ireland in 2015 were up by 13.7% compared to 2014 with a total of 8.643 million overseas visits to Ireland. There was also very strong growth in revenue from overseas visitors in 2015. Earnings from overseas visits, excluding fares, were €4.2 billion. This represented an increase of 18.6% on the previous year. The strong performance has been continued into 2016. The most recent statistics published by the CSO for the first quarter of 2016 show that the number of trips to Ireland for the first quarter of 2016 was up 16.6 % compared to the same period in 2015, with 1.785 million overseas visits to Ireland. Therefore, tourism is playing a significant role in Ireland's economic recovery and has directly contributed to the maintenance and creation of new jobs.
My Department continues to contribute to the Government's Action Plan for Jobs and we will ensure that we deliver on our commitments within it. In developing the Action Plan, the Government is taking not just a short term view of job creation but is also laying the foundation for structures that facilitate and support longer term sustainable job creation opportunities. My Department is doing likewise.
150. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he will issue a final reply to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9333/16]
View answerFirstly, the delay in sending a substantive response to the issue raised is regretted and the Deputy will receive a formal letter of response shortly to the following effect. The correspondence received suggests that an intelligent speed adapter apparatus be installed on the vehicles of those who have been convicted of speeding on our roads.
The Deputy will be aware of the iSafer Conference held at Dublin Castle on Thursday 28 April 2016 which was organised by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), in partnership with the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) and which was aimed at broadening knowledge and awareness of Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) as a positive tool to combat speeding. As was pointed out at that conference ISA is an important lifesaving technology, and both I and the RSA are happy to support the call of the ETSC for its introduction through EU legislation on a pan European basis.
However, neither I nor the RSA are in favour of ISA being seen as a punitive measure and would not be in favour of it being installed purely on the vehicles of those who have been convicted of speeding on our roads as mentioned in the correspondence received.
151. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department or the National Parks and Wildlife Service has written to landowners in the Slieve League area (details supplied) advising them to discontinue turf cutting in the special area of conservation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9341/16]
View answerUnder the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, certain activities within a special area of conservation may not be undertaken without my prior written consent, as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
My Department recently wrote to a number of landowners or users in the Slieve League special area of conservation reminding them of activities within or affecting the site that require prior Ministerial consent.
The cutting of turf for domestic use from intact (uncut) blanket bog areas is one of the activities which may not be carried out within or affecting the site without prior Ministerial consent. However, such consent is not required for the cutting of turf for domestic use from blanket bog banks which were open at the time the site was first proposed for designation.
