Written Answers Nos. 742 - 757
742. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to publish statutory instruments designating Dún Laoghaire and Galway ports as ports of regional significance; if so, when he will do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17671/17]
View answerDún Laoghaire and Galway Ports are designated as Ports of Regional Significance since 2013, when National Ports Policy was published. National Ports Policy introduced clear categorisation of the ports sector into Ports of National Significance (Tier 1), Ports of National Significance (Tier 2) and Ports of Regional Significance.
The Tier 1 Ports of National Significance are ports that are responsible for 15-20% of overall tonnage through Irish ports. Three ports fulfil this criterion: Dublin Port Company, the Port of Cork Company and Shannon Foynes Port Company.
The Tier 2 Ports of National Significance (Waterford and Rosslare Europort) are ports that are responsible for at least 2.5% of overall tonnage through Irish ports.
Dún Laoghaire and Galway Ports do not satisfy the criteria for categorisation as Tier 1 or Tier 2 Ports of National Significance, as their tonnage figures do not reach the required level.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) provides yearly details of tonnage of goods handled by Irish Ports. The latest figures available can be accessed on their website via the following link:
www.cso.ie/multiquicktables/quickTables.aspx?id=tba07.
743. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the underpass at Skerries train station has been closed; if the decision to close the underpass was as a result of a safety report; if so, if he will provide a copy of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17698/17]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I am not responsible for, or involved in, the day-to-day operations of Iarnród Éireann including the operation of railway stations. This is a matter for the company itself.
Therefore, I have forwarded your question to Iarnród Éireann 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.
744. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the scheduling of a driving test can be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17718/17]
View answerThe operation of the driver testing service is the statutory reponsibility of the Road Safety Authority, and I have no power to intervene in individual cases.
I have therefore referred the Question to the Authority for direct response.
I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
745. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the person who has responsibility in his Department, whether it is himself or the Minister of State, in respect of funding for the sports capital programme in relation to individual projects that come in on a county basis; the person with responsibility for regional allocations and who has responsibility in respect of overall national allocations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17724/17]
View answerIn accordance with the responsibilities assigned to Minister of State, Patrick O'Donovan, in July 2016, he has general responsibility for sport, with a particular focus on a number of matters including the Sports Capital Programme.
His responsibilities are the same as those previously held by Minister of State Michael Ring, with all final decisions on allocations of financial support being made by the senior minister, as had been the case under the last government.
The full assessment process and scoring system for the 2017 round of the Sports Capital Programme is available on my Department's website at www.dttas.ie/sites/default/files/publications/sport/english/sports-capital-programme-scoring-system-and-assessment-procedures/assessment-manual-2017-scp.pdf.
746. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if grant aid is available for a person (details supplied) competing on behalf of Ireland but not receiving funding from the Sports Council. [17742/17]
View answerSport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards, including the allocation of funding across its various programmes. Sport Ireland channels funding for sport through the relevant recognised National Governing Bodies of Sport. Sport Ireland has no mechanism to allocate funding to organisations outside of this process.
Sport Ireland has informed me that it does not recognise or have any direct relationship with the organisation mentioned by the Deputy. There is no grant aid available through my Department for the purpose outlined by the Deputy.
747. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of times and dates he has met with the CEO or chairperson of every organisation under his remit since he took office, in tabular form. [17746/17]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is as follows:
|
Organisation |
Officials |
Date |
Number of meetings |
|
Bus Éireann |
Chair & CEO Chair Chair Chair |
12/09/2016 05/12/2016 12/01/2017 30/01/2017 |
1
3 |
|
Dublin Bus |
Chair & CEO Chair |
30/08/2016 16/09/2016 |
1 1 |
|
Irish Rail |
Chair & CEO Chair |
08/09/2016 16/12/2016 |
1 1 |
|
CIE |
Chair & CEO Chair |
04/07/2016 05/12/2016 |
1 1 |
|
NTA |
Chair & CEO CEO |
30/05/2016 27/02/2017 |
1 1 |
|
Road Safety Authority |
Chair & CEO |
25/07/2016 |
1 |
|
Medical Bureau of Road Safety |
Head (Prof Cusack) |
01/09/2016 |
1 |
|
DAA |
Chair & CEO Chair Chair |
30/06/2016 21/11/2016 05/04/2017 |
1
2 |
|
IAA |
Chair & CEO Chair |
25/08/2016 21/11/2016 |
1 1 |
|
TII |
Chair & CEO |
08/08/2016 |
1 |
|
Dublin Port |
Chair & CEO Chair & CEO |
15/09/2016 30/03/2017 |
1 1 |
|
Fáilte Ireland |
CEO CEO |
14/11/2016 06/04/2017 |
2 |
|
Tourism Ireland |
CEO |
14/10/2016 |
1 |
|
Sport Ireland |
Chair & CEO Chair & CEO |
09/08/2016 02/03/2017 |
2 |
There are a number of agencies for which I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with the Chair or CEO but I am planning to do so during 2017.
748. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the engineering options that have been considered or implemented in respect of a junction in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17941/17]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The construction, improvement and maintenance of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Noting this 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.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
749. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will liaise with Dublin Bus to improve the reliability of the number 16 route, Ballinteer to Dublin Airport. [17958/17]
View answerThe issue raised is a matter for Dublin Bus in conjunction with the National Transport Authority (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 response within ten working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
750. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of the locations for bus based park and ride facilities which are being assessed by the NTA and delivery of which is contingent on funding availability in the Government's capital plan review; the details of all bus based park and ride facilities he has submitted for funding as part of the Government's capital plan review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17994/17]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including the provision of Park and Ride facilities. The NTA also oversees the capital funding available for investment in public transport measures in the regional cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
I understand that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform intends to publish all Departmental submissions to the mid-term review of the Capital Plan in due course and my Department's submission will be made available in that context.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
751. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding is available to avoid the cancellation of an international event (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18118/17]
View answerSport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards, including the allocation of funding across its various programmes. Sport Ireland channels funding for sport through the relevant National Governing Body of Sport, in this case, Horse Sport Ireland. I would suggest that the group mentioned by the Deputy contact Horse Sport Ireland directly to see if they can be of assistance.
My Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy. It is not directly involved in the management or development of individual tourism projects. These are operational matters for the Board and Management of Fáilte Ireland. While the Department provides funding to Fáilte Ireland for investment in events, it does not have a role in the assessment of applications or the awarding of grant aid assistance under that funding programme. Similarly, the Department has no discretionary funds at its disposal to assist with tourism proposals.
Accordingly, I have referred the Deputy's question to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply to the Deputy. Please contact my private office if you have not received a reply within ten working days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
752. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of decisions made by NCT testing centres which have been appealed since the introduction of the test; and the number of these which have been successful. [18149/17]
View answer754. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of incidents of advanced corrosion in brake lines and hoses which have been identified in cars tested under the NCT each year since 2006. [18152/17]
View answer755. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the NCT inspectors had considered using a callipers to measure the outside diameter of corroded pipes, in view of EU Directive 2010/48/EU; the rationale behind the use of a visual test only on corroded pipes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18153/17]
View answer756. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the failure rate for vehicles undergoing the NCT annually between 2006 and 2012. [18154/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 752 and 754 to 756, inclusive, together.
Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No.477 of 2006) the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the National Car Test.
In view of the RSA's statutory responsibility in this regard, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my Office if a response has not been received within ten days.
The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
753. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding a company (details supplied) has received from Government Departments since it began administering the NCT test; the amount received from his Department or from the RSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18151/17]
View answer757. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the failure rate of vehicles undergoing the NCT test has a bearing on the public funding received by either the RSA or a company (details supplied) in respect of NCT testing. [18156/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 753 and 757 together.
Applus, the current operator of the National Car Testing Service (NCTS) has not received any funding from my Department or the RSA in relation to the delivery of the NCTS since their contract for this service was commenced in 2010.
The RSA itself is largely self-financing in that, since 2013, it receives just under 140,000 Euro per annum from the Exchequer for certain pension related costs. Prior to that year, when the Authority was funded by the Exchequer, the failure rate at the NCTS did not have any bearing on the level of funding allocated to the Authority.
