Written Answers Nos. 636-651
636. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will make funding available to provide a second intersection on the N7 at Rathcoole to alleviate the traffic congestion in Rathcoole Village, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31759/18]
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 operation of individual roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to TII for direct reply. I ask the Deputy to advise my private office if he does not receive a reply within ten working days.
637. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his plans to develop a Luas line to Lucan will be brought forward in view of significant congestion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31760/18]
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 (GDA), including the light rail network.
The NTA's Transport Strategy for the GDA 2016-2035 includes a number of proposals to further develop the light rail network including a Luas Line to Lucan.
Building on the success of Government’s continued investment in building capacity and expanding the Luas network, the National Development Plan 2018-2027 (NDP) will provide funding over the period of the Plan to undertake appraisal, planning and design of Luas network expansion to Lucan and also Bray, Finglas and Poolbeg. This is to ensure that we will be ready to expand Luas to where and when it is needed in line with sustained development in these areas.
Given the NTA’s responsibility in the matter I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Authority for a more detailed reply with regard to the status of this project. I ask the Deputy to inform my private office if he does not receive a reply within ten working days.
638. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of his plans to deal with the use of rickshaws; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31761/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, my Department has been considering a range of options for regulating rickshaws from the perspectives of proportionality, public safety and enforcement as well as regarding the question of costs and benefits. Options considered include introducing a framework to regulate rickshaws up to introducing a full prohibition.
As I indicated recently when I attended a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport at which the matter of rickshaws was considered, my Department has been giving this matter close examination involving advices from, and engagement with, the Office of the Attorney General. Following these consultations, I now expect to be in a position to finalise and announce my decision very shortly, with any corresponding legislative provisions to be developed quickly thereafter.
639. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the port access northern cross route, Drogheda; the estimated cost for the delivery of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31801/18]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in Co. Louth is the statutory responsibility of Louth County Council, 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. My Department has no grant application on hand in relation to the proposed Drogheda Northern Cross Port Access road.
Given the cutbacks in State funding for regional and local roads since the financial crisis, it has been necessary to curtail the grant programme for major new regional and local road schemes and for major realignment schemes in order to protect the funding available for the maintenance of the existing network. The bulk of the funding allocated under the Capital Plan is, therefore, earmarked for the maintenance and renewal of the road network with some limited investment in new projects.
640. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 535 of 29 May 2018, if the updated consultation report referred to was brought to the Government; when the report will be published by the NTA; and the capital spend for 2017 and 2018 on Iarnród Éireann. [31803/18]
View answerThe National Transport Authority (NTA) and Iarnród Éireann report on the Rail Review was published in 2016. Since then, the NTA has held a public consultation on the Review. Over 300 submissions were received in response to that consultation process.
A report of those submissions has been submitted to my Department by the NTA and I intend to bring the report to Government for consideration.
It is my intention that the NTA's report on the consultation would be published by the NTA following consideration by Government.
Exchequer capital funding of €168.6 million was provided to Iarnród Éireann in 2017. In 2018 to date, €96.6 million of Exchequer capital funding has been provided to Iarnród Éireann. The total Exchequer capital allocation for Iarnród Éireann for 2018 is €178.5 million.
641. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation in 2017 and 2018 for investment in making public transport accessible for wheelchair users; the spend in each of those years on bus stations, buses and coaches, coach stops on PSO services, railway stations, the rail fleet and taxis and hackneys.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31804/18]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.
Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 the National Transport Authority (NTA) has functional responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network.
Accessibility features, such as wheelchair access and audio/visual aids are built into all new public infrastructure projects and vehicles from the design stage. Newer systems such as LUAS are fully accessible.
My Department funds an ongoing programme of accessibility improvement grants to upgrade older existing infrastructure and facilities which is managed by the NTA. The overall allocation to the accessibility retro-fit programme in 2017 was €3 million. In Budget 2018 I secured a trebling of the funding for the retro-fit programme to €28 million as part of 4 year capital envelope for public transport announced for the period 2018 to 2021. €4 million of that funding has been allocated for 2018.
In light of the NTA's responsibility for managing the retro-fit programme, I have forwarded your question to the NTA for further response to you. I ask the Deputy to advise my private office if she does not receive a response within ten working days.
642. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation for 2018 for the Narrow Water bridge project. [31805/18]
View answerThe Fresh Start Agreement includes a commitment to undertake a review of the proposed Narrow Water Bridge project with a view to identifying options for its future development, for consideration by the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC). A number of possible options are being developed at present in consultation with stakeholders.
There is no specific allocation of funding for Narrow Water Bridge in 2018.
643. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation for each of the years 2013 to 2018 to Fáilte Ireland; if his Department provides specific funding for tourism to local authorities or other agencies; and if so, the spend for those projects in each of the years 2015 to 2018. [31806/18]
View answerDetails (at subhead level) of the annual funding allocations provided by my Department to Fáilte Ireland are available in the annual Revised Estimates Volume published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The subheads of relevance to Fáilte Ireland are E3, E6 (capital) and E5 (shared with Tourism Ireland) and further detail is available in the Agency Statement for Failte Ireland in the Revised Estimates Volumes. All of the funding in these subheads is provided to either Fáilte Ireland or Tourism Ireland and my Department does not provide specific tourism funding to local authorities or other agencies.
644. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the categories of funding for roads including regional, local, secondary, national roads, motorways and other road categories; and the funding allocated under each of these categories for each of the years 2015 to 2018, in tabular form. [31807/18]
View answerThe funding structure for roads is as outlined in my response to Parliamentary Question 530. A copy of the relevant sections of my previous answer is outlined below for your convenience.
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of the relevant local authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the Council's own resources supplemented by State road grants. Details of the regional and local road grant allocations and payments to local authorities are outlined in the regional and local road grant booklets which are available in the Dáil Library.
The tables included in the payment and allocation booklets outline expenditure by type of grant programme. For the Deputy's information an explanation of the purpose of the main road Regional and Local Road Grant Programmes is set out below:
Restoration Maintenance (RM): The purpose of the RM grant is to protect the structural integrity of the road by way of surface dressing through the sealing of the road surface. The purpose of restoration maintenance is to maintain the asset before it requires improvement.
Restoration Improvement Grant (RI): The RI grant programme is the main road strengthening programme and caters for surface restoration, pavement overlay works, complete road rehabilitation works and for drainage works where required.
Discretionary Grant (DG): Councils have discretion in spending these grants for improvement and maintenance works subject to selecting from a list of eligible works. However Councils are requested to prioritise projects which involve strengthening works, remedying road defects, winter maintenance and drainage works.
Bridge Rehabilitation (BR): This programme allows local authorities to apply for monies to undertake bridge rehabilitation works.
Safety Improvement Works (BS): This programme allows local authorities to apply for monies to undertake safety improvement works.
This year ring-fenced funding is being made available for Community Involvement Scheme (CIS) and a Drainage Programme. The CIS facilitates community involvement in repair and improvement of roads while the purpose of the Drainage Grant is to promote network resilience.
Specific Grant and Strategic Grants: The Department no longer seeks annual applications from local authorities in respect of the Specific (road improvement schemes costing up to €5 million) and Strategic (improvement schemes costing over €5 million) grant programmes. Instead it considers projects on a case by case basis taking into account the availability of funding and the outcome of project appraisals.
As regards national roads, within its annual budget, allocations to individual local authorities is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's Questions to TII for direct reply. I ask the Deputy to advise my private office if she does not receive a reply within ten working days.
645. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 350 of 29 May 2018, the spend on regional and local road funding for 2017 and 2018. [31808/18]
View answerDetails of the regional and local road grant allocations and payments to local authorities for 2017 and the allocations for 2018 are outlined in the regional and local road grant booklets which are available in the Dáil Library.
The total regional and local road allocation for 2018 is €416.8 million and the draw down of grant funding to date is almost €90 million.
646. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount allocated to local airports in 2016, 2017 and 2018, by airport. [31809/18]
View answerDetails of Exchequer support to the four regional airports under my Department's Regional Airports Programme in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018 are set out in the following table:
Exchequer funding under Regional Airports Programme (Euro)
|
Airport |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 (to date) |
|
Donegal |
807,909 |
667,874 |
326,700 |
|
Knock |
2,933,419 |
3,199,355 |
2,300,781 |
|
Kerry |
937,557 |
1,657,991 |
1,222,519 |
|
Waterford |
1,038,596 |
0 |
375,000 |
While the figures for 2016 and 2017 represent grant payments made to the airports in each of those years, the figures for Donegal, Kerry and Knock airports in 2018 represent the capital allocations for those airports that I announced on 28 May last. The works covered by those allocations are currently underway and the associated grant payments will be made when these works are completed later in the year.
647. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation for ports 2016, 2017, and 2018, by port. [31810/18]
View answerIn line with National Ports Policy the State commercial port companies receive no State funding.
648. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the Castlebar swimming pool project; when it is due to open; the reason for the delay; if there are problems or issues with the build; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31820/18]
View answerCastlebar Swimming Pool is in the 2000 round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme. In October 2015, Mayo County Council was given a formal allocation of €3.8 million for the replacement swimming pool. In addition, a Sports Capital Programme allocation of €3.9 million was approved for dry facilities. Construction commenced in 2016, is ongoing and is expected to be completed later this year.
649. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the change to Bus Éireann route 52 is causing major disruptions in County Mayo (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31822/18]
View answerThe issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. I ask the Deputy to advise my private office if she does not receive a response within ten working days.
650. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason for the change in service of Bus Éireann route 52; and if he will request Bus Éireann to revert back to the old route 52 bus service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31823/18]
View answerThe issue raised is a matter for Bus Éireann in conjunction with the NTA and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. I ask the Deputy to advise my private office if she does not receive a response within ten working days.
651. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the proposed Boyneside cycle way trail project for Drogheda and east County Meath; if the upcoming greenway strategy will contribute the necessary funds needed to complete the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31909/18]
View answerMy officials are currently finalising the Strategy which will be published in the coming weeks. The Greenways to be funded under the Strategy will be determined after a competitive call for applications later in 2018 with a view to awarding funding to a number of projects for drawdown between 2019 and 2021. In regards to this, I was pleased to secure additional funding last year for Greenways bringing the total available for the period 2018 to 2021 to €55.9 million.
Once published, the Greenways Strategy will provide a framework for the development of Ireland's Greenways and will determine the type of project to be funded by my Department over the coming decade. This is a long term Strategy with the aim of increasing the number, length and regional spread of greenways across the country. It will set out guidance to project promoters on matters including strategic nature, length, design standards, accommodation works and early consultation with communities and land owners along proposed routes.
I expect a strong response to this funding call given the increased interest in Greenways in recent years. I would urge potential applicants for funding to progress their planning and design of Greenways as far as possible in advance of any application for funding and to resolve any land ownership issues through wide consultation with landowners.
With specific regard to the Boyneside Greenway, as the funding call under the Strategy has not yet issued and no applications received, Meath and Louth County Councils would be better placed to inform the Deputy of the current status of their work on the project.
