Written Answers Nos. 1-30
11. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to assist Irish Rail in the alleviation of the over-capacity issues at the train station car parks in Maynooth and Sallins, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7731/18]
View answerI am aware of the increased demand for commuter services, particularly during peak commuter hours. The NTA's “Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) 2016-2035” provides a framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services in the GDA over the next two decades. The DART Expansion Programme, which is a cornerstone project of the strategy, seeks to progress a series of projects that will create a full metropolitan area DART network for Dublin with all of the lines linked and connected.
This integrated rail network will provide fast, high capacity, high-frequency electrified services to Drogheda on the Northern Line, Celbridge/Hazelhatch on the Kildare Line, Maynooth and M3 Parkway on the Maynooth/Sligo Line, while continuing to provide DART services on the South-Eastern Line as far south as Greystones.
In relation specifically to the North Kildare lines, the Deputy should note that since the upgrading and reopening of the Phoenix Park Tunnel in late 2016, commuters on the Kildare to Dublin Heuston line benefit from having the option of direct trains to Connolly, Tara Street, Pearse and Grand Canal Dock Stations.
Regarding the car parking facilities the Deputy's question refers to, I have been advised by the NTA that due to the extension of the Short-Hop fare zone to include Sallins & Naas Railway Station, coupled with the introduction of train services through the Phoenix Park Tunnel Link to serve city centre train stations, the level of car parking demand at this station has increased significantly. To address this issue, it is intended to expand the level of car parking at Sallins & Naas Railway Station during 2018 through an expansion of the car park on the north side of the station. Funding in the amount of €680,000 is being allocated to Iarnród Éireann this year in respect of this project. The position regarding Maynooth Station will be considered by the NTA next year.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure and services in the Greater Dublin Area. Iarnród Éireann receive Exchequer funding via the NTA in relation to the provision of car parking at train stations on the heavy rail network. I understand that the total expenditure on station extensions including car parking facilities over the last five year period of 2013 to 2017 was €15.4 million.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for further reply on the issues raised.
12. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the national policy framework will be announced in view of the fact that a public consultation paper was launched in November 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7819/18]
View answerThe public consultation process for the new National Sports Policy, to which Deputy O'Keeffe refers, was a most useful exercise. It resulted in the receipt of 54 submissions from a wide range of stakeholders including Government departments, National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Sports Partnerships and private individuals.
My Department and I have closely examined the content of these submissions. The Deputy may be interested to note a number of the key themes emerging from the consultation process, including in particular:
- The vital role of education and training in the delivery of sports measures;
- The need for increased investment in sport, focusing on lifelong participation programmes as well as additional support for high performance athletes.
- The need for greater Cross-Sectoral Co-operation with sports stakeholders and relevant Government Departments, working more closely with Local Authorities in particular; and
- The importance of continued investment in improving Sports Facilities locally, regionally and nationally.
In addition to a careful evaluation of all submissions, my officials have held a number of bilateral meetings with Government departments and other key stakeholders during the drafting process in order to inform decision making on the key challenges that confront the sector and the many complex issues that arise in relation to addressing those challenges.
I am pleased to indicate that this detailed work is nearing completion. Because of the complex, cross-sectoral nature of many of the issues relating to sport, I consider that the time taken to undertake this evaluation and consultation is very much worthwhile. I hope to be in a position to submit the draft Policy for the approval of my Government colleagues in the coming weeks. If approved, it will be published very shortly thereafter.
14. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his position regarding the publication of the new national sports policy. [7522/18]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question concerning this important policy development. Its importance reflects the highly consultative process that has been followed by my Department. A public consultation was initiated in late 2016 and resulted in the receipt of 54 submissions from a wide range of stakeholders including Government departments, National Governing Bodies of Sport, Local Sports Partnerships and private individuals. As indicated earlier, I think this was a most useful exercise in consultation.
My Department and I have closely examined all of these submissions and I consider it appropriate that I should highlight for the information of Deputy McLoughlin a number of the key themes that emerged from the consultation process. These include:
- The important role of education and training in the delivery of sports measures;
- The requirement for increased investment in sport, focusing on lifelong participation programmes as well as additional support for high performance athletes.
- The need for greater Cross-Sectoral Co-operation with sports stakeholders and relevant Government Departments, working more closely with Local Authorities in particular; and
- The necessity for continued investment in improving Sports Facilities locally, regionally and nationally.
My Department has also held bilateral discussions with Government departments and other key stakeholders in order to inform decision making on the key challenges ahead for the sports sector.
I am pleased to indicate that the detailed evaluation and drafting work is nearing completion. Because of the complex, cross-sectoral nature of many of the issues relating to sport, I consider that the time taken to undertake this evaluation and consultation is time well spent. I hope to submit the draft Policy for the approval of my Government colleagues in the coming weeks. If approved, it will be published very shortly thereafter.
15. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the action he will take to ensure the necessary resources and expertise are put in place in relation to a decision (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7509/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Government recently approved my proposal to designate Fingal County Council as the noise regulator for Dublin Airport in order that Ireland fully complies with EU Regulation 598/2014.
The Regulation sets out how Member States should regulate noise at major airports, under a regulatory framework that provides for the measurement, management and on-going monitoring of airport noise.
My obligation as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is to put in place the structures to make sure that Ireland fully complies with the Regulation, which I will be doing by way of primary legislation.
The Government's decision to designate Fingal County Council as the noise regulator follows on from discussions between my Department, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and Fingal County Council. Those discussions included consideration of the resource and skills requirements to carry out airport noise regulation, and it is agreed that Fingal will have to receive additional funding and will most likely need to bring in new specialist expertise.
Whilst it will be a matter for Fingal County Council to determine how best it skills up to carry out this new function, I can assure the Deputy that the draft legislation, which I plan to bring to this House later in the year, will include a provision for additional funding for Fingal.
There is no question of Fingal having to carry out this new function from within existing resource levels.
16. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects to unveil the large-scale projects under the sports capital programme. [7524/18]
View answer40. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the plans submitted by a group (details supplied) to his Department on the redevelopment proposals for its county ground and its request for funding under the sports infrastructure fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7501/18]
View answer80. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the large-scale projects under the sports capital programme will be opened. [7523/18]
View answer85. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when a request for expressions of interest in the large-scale projects under the sports capital programme will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7534/18]
View answer93. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his position regarding the roll-out of the large-scale projects under the sports capital programme. [7531/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 40, 80, 85 and 93 together.
The Sports Capital Programme (SCP) has been the primary means of providing Government support to sports clubs and organisations for sports capital works. Allocations under the 2017 round of the programme were announced on the 30th November (local projects) and 21st December (regional projects) with a total of €60m allocated. Under this most recent round of the SCP, the maximum grant which could be applied for was €150,000 for local projects and €200,000 for a regional project.
Outside of the Sports Capital Programme, my Department has also overseen Government support for significant sporting infrastructure including state contributions to the Croke Park redevelopment, the Aviva Stadium and Thomond Park. At present, my Department is administering the Government grants towards the redevelopment of Pairc Ui Chaoimh (total contribution €30m) and the Kerry Sports Academy at the Institute of Technology Tralee (total planned contribution €7.5m).
In the longer term, funding of sports facilities is being considered as part of the Sports Policy Review which will be finalised shortly. It is clear however, that there are a number of large sporting facilities which will seek Government support over the coming years.
Accordingly, as part of the discussions around the Review of The Capital Plan, Minister Ross and I suggested the creation of a new Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) for larger projects where the amount being sought from Government is greater than that available under the SCP. The new National Development Plan which is expected to be published shortly will include further detail of the new Fund.
My officials will draft the terms and conditions of the new scheme over the coming months. All projects funded under the scheme will be subject to the Public Spending Code and State Aid requirements prior to any funding commitments being made. In terms of calls for proposals, it is envisaged that at a minimum, the National Governing Bodies of Sport and local authorities will be asked to prioritise projects for possible inclusion. The results of the Cost Benefit Analysis/Multi-Criteria Analysis for each project will be a key determinant in deciding which projects are included for funding. It is likely that projects will be allocated funding over a number of years and every effort will be made to ensure a spread of sports and a geographic spread of projects.
In relation to any specific projects, prior to the details and terms and conditions of the new scheme being finalised and relevant organisations having the opportunity to apply for funding, it is not possible to say which projects will be supported at this stage.
I hope to have these terms and conditions finalised in the coming months and an announcement to include how and when organisations can apply for the funding will be made at that stage.
17. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to establish an office under the remit of the NTA which would operate as a one stop shop tasked with providing direct assistance and advice to persons with disabilities who encounter difficulties accessing public transport (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7715/18]
View answerThe National Transport Authority (NTA) has functional responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network.
The NTA has advised my Department that while it does not propose to establish a separate office such as the Deputy has suggested, it is assessing the potential of a more centralised general contact facility for public transport passengers in the context of multiple operators. According to the NTA, this would likely take the form of a small contact centre which would deal with some passenger queries centrally and would arrange a simple transfer to the relevant operator in the case of operator specific queries and issues. Such a centralised centre would also be available to provide information and assistance to persons with disabilities, recognising however, that many of those queries are likely to be redirected to the relevant operator.
Prior to proceeding with such a contact centre, the issue of cost and resources would require to be addressed by the NTA in conjunction with my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
I would also point out that while the NTA already plays a central co-ordinating role in relation to the provision of public transport services for people with disabilities, many of the required interactions with such users need to link with the operator providing the particular transport service. For instance, a request for assistance for wheelchair boarding or alighting on the rail system ultimately has to be handled by Iarnród Éireann – routing such a request through the NTA might not be as effective as a direct contact between the passenger and Iarnród Éireann staff. The same applies in the case of bus services, particular Bus Éireann regional/inter-urban services, where pre-booking of the wheelchair space is required.
As I outlined to the Oireachtas Committee last week, I intend to appoint a board member to the public transport companies under my remit, who has personal knowledge and experience of the needs and difficulties of people with disabilities using public transport. The first board appointment will be to the NTA in the coming months.
19. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided to Cork County Council for the construction of a road (details supplied) as soon as the detailed design phase is completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7539/18]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in its area is a statutory function of local authorities 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. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded from these monies is a matter for each local authority.
Under the Strategic Grant Scheme, my Department gave a commitment in 2010 to provide grant assistance to Cork County Council in relation to the acquisition of land for the Carrigaline Western Relief Road. The commitment to part fund land acquisition on this road has been met but no grant commitment was given in relation to the construction of the road.
In the aftermath of the financial crisis there were major cutbacks in funding for the national, regional and local road network. This resulted in the severe curtailment in funding for road improvement grant programmes, including the Strategic Grant Scheme, in order to focus available funding on maintenance and renewal work.
The Building on Recovery Capital Plan 2016-2021 and the Capital Plan Review allocations mark a significant step forward in terms of restoring funding to the levels needed to maintain the road network in a “steady state” condition and allowing for some investment in road improvement schemes but it is going to take time for funding to build up to the required level. For now funding will largely continue to support the maintenance of the regional and local road network. While a limited number of improvement projects are scheduled to go ahead over the next few years, funding is not available to commit to additional schemes at this point.
My Department is, however, liaising with Cork County Council with a view to positioning the project for development in the post 2021 period.
20. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the internal review by his Department of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973 has concluded; and if so, when the report will be published. [7737/18]
View answer24. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of applications for exemptions for the carriage of munitions of war through Shannon airport received by his Department in 2017; the number of such applications that were granted; and the number that were refused. [7736/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 24 together.
The purpose of the ongoing internal review of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973, is to identify the options available for various aspects of the Order. The internal review will be completed in the coming weeks.
The Chicago Convention, which is the main international treaty governing the operation of civil aviation, states that no civil aircraft may carry munitions of war over a state without that state’s permission. This requirement is ratified in Irish law by the 1973 Order. Under the terms of the Order the carriage of weapons and munitions of war is prohibited in any civil aircraft in Irish airspace and on board any Irish registered aircraft, unless an exemption is granted by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
In accordance with the provisions of the 1973 Order, my Department operates a procedure under which airlines wishing to carry weapons or munitions through Irish airspace or airports must apply for each flight at least 48 hours in advance. My Department seeks the views of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in relation to foreign policy issues and the Department of Justice and Equality in relation to security issues. The IAA is consulted in relation to aviation safety issues for applications involving munitions that are also categorised as dangerous goods. If any of these bodies objects, an exemption will generally not be granted.
I should point out that the internal review is examining the Statutory Instrument primarily from an administrative and legal perspective. There is no proposal to change the long-standing Government policy of permitting aircraft used by the defence forces of various nations to transit through Irish airspace and airports, subject to appropriate terms and conditions.
In 2017 my Department received 340 applications for exemptions under the 1973 Order for flights seeking to land at Shannon Airport. 334 applications were granted and six were refused. The statistical information sought by the Deputy is also published at the end of each month on my Department's website.
21. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeframe to publish the rail review (details supplied); the actions he plans to take to remedy the issues that were raised two years ago by the NTA's review in order to ensure that Iarnród Éireann is sufficiently funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7716/18]
View answerThe Rail Review Report was undertaken jointly by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Iarnród Éireann and was published in 2016.
The purpose of the Review was:
- to look at the existing rail network;
- to identify the funding required both to maintain the network and to provide for necessary capital works;
- and to consider the gap in funding.
Since the Rail Review was published, there have been significant developments in relation to the level of funding available for rail investment and services.
Budget 2017 allocated over €50m in additional funding to Irish Rail in 2017 bringing the total (current plus capital) funding for the year to the company to over €300m. This significant increase in funding allowed for increasing investment in maintenance and renewal of the network and the rolling stock, and also to provide more funding for safety projects.
In Budget 2018 I secured an 8% increase in the overall Exchequer funding for PSO services across both the bus and rail networks. That means that a total of over €285 million will be allocated in 2018 to support the delivery of these socially necessary but financially unviable services across the public transport companies. Budget 2018 also provided for an increase in the multi-annual capital investment for public transport with a four-year capital envelope of €2.7 billion over the period 2018-2021. This represents a 30% increase over the original Capital Plan allocations for 2018-2021 and includes investment of over €1 billion in heavy rail maintenance and infrastructure.
The public consultation process held by the NTA following the publication of the Rail Review in 2016 helped to begin an informed discussion about the current and future role of rail transport in Ireland. Over 300 submissions were received in response to that consultation process. The NTA has prepared a report of those submissions, which it recently updated to reflect the additional funding which has been made available for rail infrastructure and services in Budget 2018.
The NTA’s updated report on the consultation was received by my Department yesterday. Once I have reviewed it, my intention is to bring the updated report to Government for consideration. I would expect that the report would be published thereafter by the NTA.
25. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to make an incremental improvement to the bus fleet operating in Dublin; his specific targets to improve journey times, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7734/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that following the mid-term review of the Capital Plan, Budget 2018 provides for an increase in the multi-annual capital investment for public transport with a four-year capital envelope of €2.7 billion over the period 2018-2021. This substantial multi-annual envelope includes funding of over €770 million for the BusConnects programme to fundamentally transform Dublin’s bus system, so that journeys for bus passengers will be fast, reliable, punctual, convenient and affordable. At the heart of this proposal is the development of a core network of bus lanes served by radial routes and a network of park and ride facilities at key locations.
Work is ongoing on the redesign of the bus services network and also on infrastructure proposals for Core Bus Corridors which will be an integral part of the programme. When this work is completed the proposals will be launched for public consultations in April and May of this year. The results of the public consultations will inform the final decisions to be made on the network redesign and the Core Bus Corridors including specific routes and corridors.
Under the current Public Service Contract arrangements with Dublin Bus, the National Transport Authority monitor a number of service targets that include reliability, excess wait time (for high frequency services), punctuality (for low fequency servcies) and servcie quality.
In light of the NTA’s responsibility in these areas, I have forwarded the Deputies' questions to the Authority for further information on the issues raised. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
26. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the Government’s pledge to invest to make public transport services more accessible for persons with disabilities. [7630/18]
View answerAccessibility features, such as wheelchair access and audio/visual aids, are built into all new public transport infrastructure projects and vehicles from the design stage. Newer systems such as LUAS are fully accessible.
In Budget 2018 I secured a trebling of the funding provided for the accessibility retro-fit programme as part of the 4 year capital envelope for public transport announced. An amount of almost €28 million is being made available for accessibility upgrades for existing older infrastructure in the period 2018 to 2021. The additional funding will facilitate the continued roll-out of the programmes to install accessible bus stops, upgrade train stations to make them accessible to wheelchair users and provide grant support for the introduction of more wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) into the taxi fleet.
I intend to improve upon that in our National Development Plan over the next 10 years and beyond. Investment in public transport will be accelerated under the NDP to support the development of an integrated and sustainable national public transport system. A number of key new major public transport programmes are being considered under the NDP over the period to 2027. As with all new and recently developed public transport projects, these programmes will be fully accessible as part of the normal design.
Under the NDP, there will also be a continued investment programme to fund retro-fitting of older existing public transport facilities to enhance accessibility.
As I outlined to the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport last week, in addition to an increase in funding to improve accessibility, we also need to have people with practical experience of the difficulties experienced by people with disabilities at the decision making table. Following consultations with members of the disability community, I decided to appoint a board member with such experience to the public transport companies under my remit. The first board appointment will be to the National Transport Authority (NTA).
27. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the proposed DART extension to Balbriggan; the timeframes for this; the plans for 2018 to advance this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7511/18]
View answerThe National Transport Authority's (NTA) "Transport Strategy for the GDA 2016-2035" proposes implementation of the overall DART Expansion Programme. As the Deputy may be aware, the Government’s budgetary framework for capital investment, "Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021", which was reviewed last year in the context of the Mid-Term Review of Capital priorities, delivery and funding, provided funding to progress a number of key public transport projects included in the NTA's strategy.
The DART Expansion Programme has a key role to play in delivering an efficient transport system. When fully implemented the enhancements to the heavy rail system provided for in the NTA's Transport Strategy, will create a full metropolitan area DART network for Dublin with all of the lines linked and connected. This integrated rail network will provide the core high capacity transit system for the region and will deliver a very substantial increase in peak-hour capacity on all lines from Drogheda, Maynooth, Hazelhatch and Greystones.
Following the Mid-Term Review of Capital priorities, Budget 2018 increased the multi-annual capital investment funding envelopes for the coming four-year period, including providing an enhanced capital envelope of €2.7 billion for public transport investment between 2018 and 2021.
This enhanced capital envelope includes funding in the order of €230 million for mainline rail and DART capacity enhancement and will allow acceleration of the initial stages of the overall DART Expansion Programme, focussing particularly at this stage on providing additional fleet to enhance capacity, and extending the electrified DART system.
Specifically, it will allow substantial progress on electrification of the Northern rail line as far as Balbriggan - now expected to be delivered in 2022 - and commencing work on the Maynooth line. The remaining elements of the DART Expansion programme are being considered in the context of the 10 year investment plan that will be published later this week.
In light of the NTA’s responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputies' questions to the Authority for further information on the issues raised. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
28. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the Bonagee link road project in County Donegal; the timeframe for this project to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7502/18]
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 national road projects is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's Question to TII for direct reply. Please advise my Office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days. work.
29. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he will introduce to address the problem of overcrowding on the Maynooth to Connolly rail line at peak times for commuters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7504/18]
View answer74. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an assessment of the need for increased capacity on a number of rail services to Dublin from the County Kildare commuter belt will be carried out, specifically on the Kildare line via Hazelhatch, the Maynooth line and the Kilcock line in view of the fact that services are at full capacity and unable to match the needs of an increasing volume of persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7629/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 74 together.
As 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 (GDA).
The NTA's Transport Strategy for the GDA 2016-2035 proposes implementation of the DART Expansion Programme. The overall DART Expansion Programme has a key role to play in delivering an efficient transport system. When fully implemented the enhancements to the heavy rail system provided for in the NTA's Transport Strategy will create a full metropolitan area DART network for Dublin with all of the lines linked and connected. This integrated rail network will provide the core high capacity transit system for the region and will deliver a very substantial increase in peak-hour capacity on all lines from Drogheda, Maynooth, Greystones and Hazelhatch on the Kildare line.
The NTA, in conjunction with Irish Rail, continues to examine short, medium and longer term options for meeting increased commuter services demand. This includes the refurbishment of existing rolling stock that can be put into service in the second half of 2019 to provide additional capacity on commuter and intercity services.
The upgrade to the Phoenix Park Tunnel in 2016 at a cost of €13.5 million has seen commuters on the Kildare to Dublin Heuston line benefit from having the option of direct trains to Connolly, Tara Street, Pearse and Grand Canal Dock Stations. Further benefits to commuters will be provided by way of additional off-peak and weekend services through the Phoenix Park Tunnel.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in the area, I have forwarded the Deputies questions to the Authority for further information on the issues raised. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
30. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the construction of a second parallel runway at Dublin Airport; his engagement with stakeholders in this regard; his plans to establish a competent authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7578/18]
View answerIn accordance with the National Aviation Policy, the Government fully supports the building of a second runway at Dublin Airport and the development of the Airport as a hub airport with the necessary capacity to connect key existing and emerging global markets.
The daa - which has statutory responsibility to manage, operate and develop Dublin Airport - was granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála in 2007 for a second runway. An extension of the duration of the planning permission was granted last year, for a further five years (to expire in August 2022).
Preliminary works under the first phase of construction, including preparation of the site, realignment and building of new roads, fencing and landscaping were completed in late 2017. The procurement process for the main construction works on the runway itself is now underway and is expected to be completed by Q3 2018 with construction to commence thereafter.
All pre-construction conditions attached to the 2007 planning permission were completed to the satisfaction of Fingal County Council prior to the commencement of preliminary works. This included the putting in place of a voluntary purchase scheme for dwellings, together with a property insulation scheme for homes and schools. The daa has also undertaken a range of other measures to communicate with all stakeholders, e.g. written communication, newsletters, public meetings, information sessions and one to one meetings where requested. I have also personally met with a number of residents' groups to hear their views and concerns and ensured that these concerns were passed on to daa.
EU Regulation (598/2014) concerning Noise Related Operating Restrictions at EU Airports entered into effect on 13 June, 2016. The Regulation requires the appointment of a State body – independent of the airport company – to regulate airport noise at Dublin Airport in accordance with prescribed procedures for assessing and, where appropriate, ensuring the adoption of measures to mitigate noise impacts. To ensure full compliance with this Regulation, I, with the support of Government, intend to appoint Fingal County Council as the Competent Authority. The necessary statutory arrangements are a priority objective for my Department in 2018. I also intend to appoint An Bord Pleanála as the Appeals Body for purposes of the Regulation.
It is my view that provisions of the Regulation – (including the appointment of an independent regulator, a detailed and technical assessment of airport noise, the application of international best practice noise management measures, a provision for public consultation and an independent appeals process) – represent a huge improvement on current arrangements and that full implementation is in the broad national interest and in the best interests of residents and Dublin Airport.
