Imelda Munster
Question:196. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the detail of the road tolls currently located on slip roads. [14620/17]
View answerRoad Tolls
Questions (196)
Written answers
As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy in relation to roads. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects on national roads are a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly known as the NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the relevant local authority.
More specifically, the statutory powers to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors are 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).
Noting the above position, I have referred the matter for national roads to TII for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
Public Service Vehicles
Questions (197)
Imelda Munster
Question:197. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of public service vehicles which are currently wheelchair accessible; and the percentage of the entire fleet that number represents. [14621/17]
View answerWritten answers
As part of the public transport investment programme, my Department provides funding to the National Transport Authority (NTA) for a rolling programme of bus replacement and refurbishment of the PSO fleet and a grant scheme to increase the number of wheelchair accessible taxis and hackneys in the small public service vehicle (SPSV) fleet.
This has enabled 100% of the Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann city fleets to be wheelchair accessible, as well as approximately 80% of the Bus Éireann coach fleet and this will increase as the coach fleet is replaced. The number of wheelchair accessible taxis and hackneys currently stands at 1,263 which represents over 6% of the total SPSV fleet.
As regards commercial bus operators, the NTA is the regulator of licensed bus services and all commercial operators must apply for a licence under the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009. The NTA does not currently require commercial bus operators to use wheelchair accessible vehicles in order to qualify for a licence for the provision of public bus services.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a more detailed reply on the number of wheelchair accessible public service vehicles. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
Departmental Expenditure
Questions (198)
Jack Chambers
Question:198. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of any payments made by his Department, its agencies or any bodies under his aegis to any broadcasters here in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016; the broadcaster to which the funds were provided; the reason for the payments; and if there are any reasons for payments to broadcasters in 2017. [14730/17]
View answerWritten answers
Details of payments made to external service providers are published by my Department and are available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.dttas.ie/corporate/english/expenditure-external-services-2015.
Bus Éireann Services
Questions (199)
Brendan Smith
Question:199. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure that there will be no reduction in bus services by Bus Éireann in areas such as counties Cavan and Monaghan which have no rail services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14762/17]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware, bus services in counties Cavan and Monaghan, and indeed rural Ireland generally, comprise two distinct types of services.
There are PSO services, which are socially necessary but financially unviable services, provided by operators under contract with the National Transport Authority (NTA) and which receive taxpayer funding.
And then there are commercial bus services, which are commercial services provided by operators under licence from the NTA and which receive no taxpayer funding.
Counties Cavan and Monaghan are served by both types of bus services.
The PSO network in the counties comprises approximately 17 routes operated primarily by Bus Éireann but also one PSO route operated by Whartons Travel Limited. The Deputy will be aware that funding for PSO services has increased in recent Budgets with Budget 2017 providing an additional 11% in taxpayer funding for the PSO programme generally. PSO services generally are improving and expanding as reflected in the strong passenger growth figures recorded for 2016 when almost 32 million passenger journeys were made on Bus Éireann PSO network nationwide, which represented a 5.5% increase as compared with 2015's figures.
Commercial bus services in the counties are provided by a mix of private operators and also Expressway, which is operated by Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann has recently announced its intention to withdraw one of its three Expressway routes in the region, namely route 33 Dublin/Derry.
As I have stated on numerous occassions, in cases where a commercial operator, such as Expressway, decides to alter or withdraw a route, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has the statutory powers available to it to respond as appropriate to ensure continued transport connectivity. In response to Bus Éireann's recent announcement, the NTA published an assessment of the proposed changes and indicated what action it believes is necessary to ensure continued public transport connectivity. As indicated in that published assessment, the NTA does not believe that connectivity issues arise on the route 33 corridor following the proposed withdrawal of Expressway's route 33. In publishing its assessment the NTA has invited feedback on its proposals. A copy of their assessment is available on www.nationaltransport.ie.
Taxi Regulations
Questions (200)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:200. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding taxis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14763/17]
View answerWritten answers
The regulation of the small public service vehicle industry, including issues pertaining to vehicle standards, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013. I have therefore 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.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
Legislative Programme
Questions (201)
James Lawless
Question:201. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when the Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016 will be enacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14583/17]
View answerWritten answers
The Companies (Accounting) Bill 2016 completed Report and Final Stages in Dáil Éireann on the 22nd March 2017. Second Stage in Seanad Éireann is scheduled for the 4th April. The timing of enactment thereafter will depend on the availability of parliamentary time.
In light of the benefits for many companies provided for in the Bill, it remains a legislative priority for the Government.
Brexit Issues
Questions (202)
Bernard Durkan
Question:202. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which her Department continues to make contact with prospective investors inside and outside the European Union with a view to ensuring a strong and vibrant economy after Brexit with particular reference to the need to establish alternative investment and markets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14671/17]
View answerWritten answers
In our collective efforts to address the challenges posed by Brexit, we should not overlook whatever opportunities may emerge for Ireland on account of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
One such opportunity is the possibility for attracting increased foreign direct investment – particularly from the Financial Services sector. That is why I have directed IDA Ireland to explore the potential for winning more FDI on account of Brexit and the Agency and its staff are already working hard with this goal in mind.
In our efforts to win more FDI, we can continue to rely on the selling points that make investing in Ireland so attractive in the first place. Ireland will also, of course, be remaining as a member of the EU and Eurozone.
All of this means Ireland will remain an appealing destination for overseas investors in both the pre and post Brexit context.
Our challenge is to make sure these messages are communicated to the international business audience. It is for this reason that additional funding was provided to the IDA to strengthen its communication capacity.
These additional resources will help the Agency target key markets and hopefully secure investment that will lead to future jobs and opportunities for the people of this country.
IDA has also been provided with additional Capital supports for 2017 which will be used to provide grant assistance to FDI companies seeking to expand or to locate here and to support the IDA regional property programme.
IDAs enhanced property capacity is also important to retain and grow the existing client base in Ireland. In 2017, the IDA will further progress its Regional Property portfolio by investing in 3 new Advance facilities in:
- Galway;
- Limerick; and
- Dundalk.
IDA believes there are potential FDI opportunities for Ireland from BREXIT. These opportunities are likely to be found along differing timelines, partially influenced by sector. The potential sources of FDI are likely to come from:
- existing IDA Clients with a presence in Ireland who also have a presence in the UK;
- overseas clients (US, European and Asian) who have a presence in the UK but not in Ireland;
- UK companies operating in the UK who now need certain access to the European Market; and
- International clients without a presence in Europe seeking a European home.
Looking at the opportunities for our indigenous enterprises, Enterprise Ireland’s strategy for the period 2017-2020 developed following the UK vote to leave the EU focuses on:
- Consolidating and growing exports into the UK market
- Expanding the Irish export global footprint, re-orienting towards N America, Canada, Asia and the Middle-East
- Expanding the EI Export Platform
I have previously announced 39 extra staff for EI's overseas offices and in the Irish based team to support exporting companies in the context of Brexit. Staff will be assigned to:
- Markets that are growing and have scale (including China, India, Latin America, Africa);
- Markets where we are already well established but with potential for further growth (including UK, France, Benelux, Germany, USA, the Nordics).
There is immediate potential to diversify exports to third markets. Last year sales to North America grew by 27%, Northern Europe by 8% and Asia-Pacific region by 11%.
In line with the recently published Trade & Investment Strategy, EI will undertake an enhanced programme of trade and investment missions and other trade promotional events in 2017. These are all at the planning stage at the moment, but will cover various sector specific markets in the US, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Spain, China, Australia, France, Germany, Nordics, to name but a few.
The UK is and will remain a key market for EI clients who recorded over €7.5bn in exports last year. EI will continue to actively help exporters deepen and strengthen their presence there by helping them become as competitive and innovative as possible.
Job Creation
Questions (203)
Bernard Durkan
Question:203. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which her Department continues to encourage and avail of job creation opportunities based on innovation and technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14672/17]
View answerWritten answers
My Department recognises the key role that innovation has played in Ireland’s economic recovery to date. It contributes significantly to job creation, exports and investment, and the competitiveness of the indigenous enterprise base, and also to embedding the foreign direct investment base in Ireland.
It is clear that a strong interdependence exists therefore between science, technology and innovation policy and enterprise policy. My Department has developed its Innovation 2020 strategy for Research and Development, Science and Technology and its Enterprise 2025 policy side by side. A critical objective for my Department is delivering on the actions and commitments set out in Innovation 2020.
A report published by my Department in October 2016, Economic and Enterprise Impacts from Public Investment in R and D in Ireland, focuses on the public R and D investments that are aimed at achieving enterprise impacts. These relate to investments by this Department, through Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, and also through the Irish Research Council and the Higher Education Authority.
This study has shown that investment in R and D translates into improved job creation and enterprise performance. Among the findings are:
- Firms that invested in R and D grew employment by 14% between 2000 and 2014 while those that did not invest in R and D saw employment decline by 40%
- Similarly, R and D performing companies grew exports by 181% between 2003 and 2014 compared to a loss of 42% in exports for non-R and D performing companies over the same period
- R and D activity was identified as being one characteristic of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland client firms that has driven growth in sales and exports since 2003. During the recession these firms exhibited greater resilience than non-R and D active firms and have increased their contributions to sales, exports and employment
- For Enterprise Ireland client firms funded through its R and D scheme, there was an 8% growth in net employment (22,003 jobs to 23,739 jobs) between 2002 and 2012. In comparison there was a 6.2% decline in employment in the total Enterprise Ireland client base over the 2002 to 2012 period (131,144 jobs to 119,935 jobs).
Enterprise Ireland (EI) has played a particularly important role in supporting job creation in Ireland. Between 2014 and 2016 employment in EI backed companies reached 200,000. In its new strategy 2017 - 2020, Building Scale, Expanding Reach, EI is aiming to increase this further with a new target to create an additional 60,000 new jobs by 2020.
Enterprise Ireland’s Strategy for 2017 – 2020 also aims to drive innovation in Irish enterprise to unprecedented levels through new supports to reach the target of €1.25bn in R and D expenditure by its client companies per annum by 2020.
In addition, Enterprise Ireland operates a range of supports to help companies engage with third level researchers to undertake collaborative research for the benefit of companies. Again, evidence shows that R and D active firms who collaborate with the Higher Education sector do significantly better in terms of job creation and exports than those that do not collaborate. Through supports such as Innovation Vouchers; Innovation Partnerships, and its network of Technology Centres and Gateways, Enterprise Ireland is striving to ensure optimum industry collaboration with our Higher Education sector. In 2016 alone, a record number of 1,036 collaborative projects were supported by EI.
A major aspect of Enterprise Ireland’s work is to extract maximum value from Ireland’s investment in the research system – the objective is to secure commercial purpose, leading to jobs and sales by transferring technologies and ideas developed in Irish research institutions out into firms.
EI will continue funding its critical existing innovation supports while also developing a number of new supports which include:
- A new programme for Business Innovation to drive innovation beyond selling products based on technical innovations providing more customer focussed process and service solutions;
- A Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Initiative, a mechanism which enables public sector bodies to connect with innovative ideas and technologies and aimed at providing novel solutions for specific public sector challenges and needs.
- New initiatives to equip graduates and researchers in the higher education system with the key skills required by the enterprise base;
IDA Ireland’s main objective is to encourage investment into Ireland by foreign-owned companies. The Agency reported a second, consecutive record year in 2016. 199,877 people are now employed in IDA Ireland supported client companies, up from 188,035 in 2015. This is the highest level of employment in the Agency’s history.
The area of research, development and innovation (RDI) is of strategic importance to IDA Ireland. A company decision to invest in RDI may be to support improvement in productivity; to develop a strengthened reputation for quality or to develop new products and services.
IDA Ireland’s strategy Winning FDI 2015-2019 outlines a plan to support clients in creating 80,000 new jobs and increase employment in the client portfolio to 209,000 by 2019. Support for RDI will be key to achieving these targets. Research, development and innovation investments not only embed existing FDI operations and employment but pave the way for future investment, job creation and export growth. As the global battle for FDI intensifies, our investment in research and development will become even more critical to attracting and retaining FDI companies.
The increase in RDI investment since 2000 has improved our attractiveness as an FDI location. 60% (just under €60m in 2015) of IDA’s total grant-aid budget is allocated to RDI projects each year. This investment leverages RDI expenditure of €600m by IDA clients for these approved projects and an overall annual spend by IDA supported companies of €1.53bn per annum on RDI. This has the effect of anchoring FDI clients and securing sustainable employment and related benefits to the Irish economy.
The National Support System for Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for research and innovation, is coordinated by Enterprise Ireland. Horizon 2020 is part of the drive to create new growth and jobs in Europe, has a budget of almost €75 billion and runs over the period 2014-2020. Irish companies that compete successfully for funding from Horizon 2020 will boost their innovative capability and competitiveness which in turn will deliver strong national economic impacts, including job creation.
Demand for the Framework Programme from Irish companies has been high. In the first 33 months Ireland’s draw down was €336.6 million, placing Ireland on target to meet its goal of securing €1.25bn from Horizon 2020 by 2020. Of this funding, over €104 million went to companies and €73.6 million of this went to SMEs. Ireland has the highest success rate in Europe for the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument with a 16% success rate, compared to a European average of 6%. Innovative Irish SMEs have secured €26.5 million.
70% of the Horizon 2020 budget (€52 billion) is to be allocated between 2017 and 2020, which gives Irish companies the opportunity to continue availing of these supports.
The recent national ex-post evaluation of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) estimated that the European Commission contribution of €625M to Ireland from 2007 to 2013 would lead to an estimated 2,000 jobs created per year. It is expected that such figures will grow considerably in the context of Ireland’s current target to double participation in the period 2014-2020.
My Department is currently analysing more recent data in relation to Horizon 2020 and will publish updated results in due course.