Written Answers Nos. 1-34
11. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of his commitment to outline his pathway to address the issues highlighted in the National Oversight and Audit Commission's review of regional and local road networks here. [37870/18]
View answerFollowing on from my undertaking earlier this year to report on a regular basis to the Houses of the Oireachtas regarding regional and local road maintenance issues, my Department has placed a copy of the first report in the Oireachtas library this week, to coincide with the Dáil resuming.
In it, I draw attention to a number of points. Firstly, each local authority is the statutory road authority for its area and has primary responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of its roads. Within available budgets and where applicable, my Department does provide grant support to road authorities while emphasising the importance of local authorities’ prioritising expenditure on roads when allocating their own resources.
Secondly, my Department has been supporting the development of a Road Asset Management System for regional and local roads over the last number of years. The Road Management Office, which has been established as a shared service between 31 local authorities, together with my Department, has been working with local authorities to ensure that this road pavement management system includes a record of all pavement-related works and information on road surfaces and pavement condition. It is this system which generates the data which is used by NOAC in its performance reports.
The objective of the MapRoad pavement management system and the NOAC reports is to provide the data needed for evidence-based prioritisation and management of road work programmes by each road authority. Work is continuing to improve the system.
Thirdly, my Department’s Road Inspectorate has been strengthened significantly over the last year which means that there is now more extensive engagement with road authorities, enhancing oversight of the regional and local road investment programme.
12. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the implementation of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37708/18]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I know he has taken quite an interest in this particular Act.
I am keen to see this legislation in force as soon as possible, and my Department is working with the key stakeholders, and in particular An Garda Síochána, to bring it into effect as soon as possible.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2018 addresses two factors of great importance in road safety, drink driving, and the illegal practice of learner drivers driving while unaccompanied.
The drink driving provisions will ensure that in future ALL drink driving offences will carry a disqualification, instead of the unacceptable practice whereby some drink drivers have until now been able to walk away with penalty points and continue driving immediately. Drink driving, even at low levels, is an extremely dangerous practice. The World Health Organisation has shown that even low levels of alcohol can have a significant effect on people's reaction times, and this can be crucial in any set of circumstances where a driver has to respond quickly to what is happening on the road.
Following from discussions with An Garda Síochána, it is my intention to commence the drink driving provisions from 26 October, that is in time for the October Bank Holiday Weekend. I very much hope that the impact of these measures will be to make people think twice about drinking and driving. What we want is for all road-users to behave in a safe and responsible way. This is not about catching people, it is about educating people, and deterring those who refuse to behave in a socially responsible way.
The unaccompanied learner provisions will be commenced later this year. The Deputy may be aware that some people seem to think that driving by unaccompanied learners is acceptable in certain circumstances. This is a symptom of the problem, because this irresponsible practice has been illegal since 2007. And yet it continues. What the new measures will do is provide effective deterrence and counter-measures. Owners who let unaccompanied learners drive their vehicles will be held to account, and Gardaí will be empowered to detain vehicles driven by unaccompanied learners.
I intend for these measures to be in effect in time for the Christmas holiday.
13. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the degree to which his Department has engaged with various community and sporting recreational groups previously awarded funding under the sports capital programme that subsequently wish to apply the funding to an alternative aspect of their proposed development which required a separate permission; if all such cases have been resolved satisfactorily; the number outstanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37852/18]
View answerThe Sports Capital Programme (SCP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 11,500 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to close to €1 billion. The programme has transformed the sporting landscape of Ireland with improvements in the quality and quantity of sporting facilities in virtually every village, town and city in the country.
The 2018 round of the programme opened for applications on 7th September and all applications must be submitted by the 19th of October. Officials from my Department are always willing to discuss existing grants or potential applications with sports clubs and groups. Organisations who receive a grant and subsequently wish to use the funding awarded for a different purpose can be accommodated so long as the revised purpose is consistent with the original application and the general terms and conditions of the SCP. Numerous such requests have been accommodated in the past across all counties. Any club considering changing the purpose of a grant should contact the SCP division of my Department in the first instance.
It is also open to any organisation with an existing grant to apply for funding under the 2018 round of the SCP for new sports capital works or sports equipment. While the amount of funding received in the past is factored into the score obtained at assessment stage, applicants with an existing SCP grant do not need to have any approval from the Department prior to making a new application.
14. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the review of the oversight of search and rescue agencies here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37873/18]
View answer41. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the review of search and rescue operations will be published in view of an air accident investigation unit interim statement on the Rescue 116 crash which found that rescue operations are affected by confusion regarding roles and responsibilities among agencies; the reason a mechanism to carry out safety oversight of search and rescue operations has not been established by his Department; his views on whether the responsibility for co-ordination of agencies should be handed to another agency such as the Irish Aviation Authority; and if so, when this will happen. [37794/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 41 together.
I will be publishing the Review of Oversight of Search and Rescue Aviation Operations in Ireland in the next day or so and it will be available on my Department’s website. The review was conducted as a direct response to the Air Accident Investigation Unit interim statement of March last which called on me to carry out a thorough review of SAR aviation operations in Ireland to ensure that there are appropriate processes, resources and personnel in place to provide effective, continuous, comprehensive and independent oversight of all aspects of these operations. The report has been prepared by a team of external, international experts in this area. The review has also benefitted from a peer review by other jurisdictions including Australia, Finland, Iceland and Spain. I have considered the report and I accept in full the 12 recommendations contained in it.
The review process was completed in August. As this review is part of the AAIU’s wider investigative process, I submitted the report to the AAIU, together with a series of actions to ensure full implementation of the report’s recommendations. While I am keen to publish the report as soon as possible, I have also been conscious that its publication could have unintended implications for other aspects of the AAIU’s on-going investigation and therefore I have been careful not to do anything to jeopardise their work in any way.
This process is now almost complete, subject to a small number of clarifications sought from the Review Team.
As a direct follow-up, I have instructed all parties involved – both within my Department and the IAA - that all necessary steps be taken without delay to ensure speedy implementation of all of the recommendations.
I am more than happy to arrange for Deputy Troy and Deputy Munster, who I appreciate have been consistent in their demands for a full and comprehensive response to all matters arising from the tragedy that is R116, to be briefed by my Department on the full details of the Report and the plan to implement its recommendations once it is published.
15. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the provision of the greenway between Naas, Sallins and Ardclough; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37724/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware I worked to secure a substantial mult-annual funding allocation for cycling provision as part of Budget 2018. The increase I secured has allowed over €110m of capital funding to be directly allocated to develop cycling and walking infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford over the period 2018-2021. This programme will provide safe alternative active travel routes that will help alleviate congestion by providing viable alternatives and connectivity with existing public transport infrastructure. Details of individual projects are managed by the National Transport Authority.
Turning to the specific query raised by the Deputy concerning the provision of the greenway between Naas, Sallins and Ardclough, I am advised by the NTA that it has allocated funding to Kildare County Council (KCC) to progress 3 cycle schemes through the design phase, including the Naas-Sallins cycleway project first. This project proposes to provide a pedestrian and cycle route from Newbridge Road to Naas Harbour to Sallins train station. The project is at the Preliminary Design stage and the NTA awaits KCC and their Consultant to deliver that design for approval, prior to public consultation.
Beyond this, the Deputy may be aware that currently the Grand Canal has a dedicated cycling and walking route along the canal from Inchicore to the R120; South Dublin County Council (SDCC) has commenced feasibility work (with their consultant) to extend the cycleway from the R120 to the Hazelhatch Road (where collaboration with KCC will be required).
16. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress being made to identify and establish bus based park and ride facilities for the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37712/18]
View answerRecent reports show that approximately 70% of people travelling into Dublin city each morning do so by sustainable transport. Well over half of all the public transport trips are by bus; some 136 million passenger journeys annually. It is no surprise then that Bus is the main component of the planned approach to addressing our current congestion problem and to meeting our future transport needs.
As those numbers grow, and as congestion worsens, it is becoming increasingly difficult to operate a reliable bus system with sufficient capacity to cater for the needs of the region. On the busiest bus routes, bus lanes are currently only in place for less than one third of the corridor. This means that for most of the journey, buses are competing for space with general traffic and so are also affected by the increasing levels of congestion.
Against this context, the NTA are progressing the roll-out of BusConnects commencing in Dublin. BusConnects Dublin provides the foundation to this overall transport system, with the revised bus system projected to carry the majority of passengers across the region and provide key linkages to serve the needs of Dublin into the future.
BusConnects Dublin aims to overhaul the current bus system in the Dublin region by:
- building a network of new bus corridors on the busiest bus routes to make bus journeys for passengers faster, predictable and reliable;
- completely redesigning the network of bus routes to provide passengers with a more efficient network, connecting more places and carrying more people;
- developing a state-of-the-art ticketing system using credit and debit cards or mobile phones to link with payment accounts and making payment much more convenient for the travelling public;
- implementing a cashless payment system to vastly speed up passenger boarding times;
- revamping the fare system to provide a simpler fare structure;
- allowing seamless movement for passengers between different public transport services, without financial penalty;
- implementing a new bus livery providing a modern look and feel to the new bus system;
- rolling out new bus stops with better signage and passenger information, and increasing the provision of additional bus shelters; and
- transitioning - starting now - to a new bus fleet using low-emission vehicle technologies.
NTA are aware that maximising the potential of the BusConnects project means enabling more people to use the bus services instead of private cars. For those travelling longer distances, the optimum strategy is a park and ride arrangement, where they can make part of the journey by car, then leave the car in a dedicated car park and complete the journey by bus. For people travelling longer distances, often the optimum strategy can be a park and ride arrangement, where they can make part of the journey by car, then leave the car in a dedicated car park and complete the journey by public transport. Bus-based Park and Ride needs careful siting of the car parks, coupled with a high frequency of bus service, to operate successfully. Ideally, the location of the parking facilities should be just outside the area of congestion and conveniently located for car users on the particular corridor
As part of BusConnects, a network of park and ride facilities will be developed at key locations along the radial road network. Indicative locations were published in 2017 on the basis that these would be subject to more detailed assessment as part of the project’s delivery and may change and that additional locations may be added. In June, the National Transport Authority published the Core Bus Corridors Project report setting out the outline of 16 radial routes, together with 200km of cycling lanes, into and out of the city. In October of this year NTA expect to publish the detailed and considered proposals for each of the 16 corridors. At that stage a full public consultation process will commence. This will allow people to provide feedback and their thoughts on the proposals and the NTA will fully engage with people along the corridors and surrounding areas. Once this phase is complete and the design finalised, NTA will turn their attention to confirming the detail of network of park and ride facilities will be developed at key locations along the radial road network.
To conclude, it is envisaged that BusConnects will deliver a bus system, fully integrated with Park and Ride facilities to ensure a seamless connection between the parking facility and the bus system, that will enable more people to travel by bus than ever before, and allow bus commuting to become a viable and attractive choice for employees, students, shoppers and visitors.
17. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress of the Bus Éireann review of services in the Ballincollig area; when recommended changes will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37879/18]
View answer47. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of proposals made by Bus Éireann to the NTA to improve the bus services 220/220X and 223 in Cork. [37705/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 47 together.
As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. Deputies will understand that the operation of Bus Eireann services is a matter for the company with oversight by the NTA.
The NTA has entered into a contract with Bus Éireann for the provision of bus services in the State. In accordance with the terms of that contract, the day to day operation of those services is managed by Bus Éireann. The Company is required to meet performance obligations in relation to service delivery such as punctuality, services operated, vehicles in service and customer information.
The NTA has invested in a significant improvement to subsidised bus services in Cork City. This has included the provision of cross-city services, increased frequency on existing services and new services linking residential areas to places of employment and education. Further investment has been made in the city bus fleet which is 100% fully accessible and an increase in capacity through the purchase and deployment of double deck buses.
In relation to the area raised by the Deputy, Bus Éireann has advised that in conjunction with the NTA, they are in the final stages of producing a wide range of significant services enhancements on the Ballingcollig - City Centre - Carragaline Corridor in Cork City and its environs. These changes will see significant increases in service frequency and hours of operation across a number of routes including Route 220 and Route 220X which operates from Ballincollig - City Centre - Carragaline. These planned changes will see the current 3 buses per hour from Ballincollig & Carragaline increase to 5 buses per hour - an increase of 66% in hourly departures. These changes will be supplemented by the deployment of additional double deck buses along the route to further increase service capacity.
In addition, a new range of local services will also be introduced that will ensure that Passage/Monkstown are linked to Carragline and Passage/Monkstown and Fountainstown are linked directly to the Carragaline Primary Care Centre. Carragaline will be linked to both Ringaskiddy & Cork Airport for the first time. I am advised that the timetables for these local services are currently being finalised with the NTA.
Finally, Regarding Route 223 I am advised that this route will be fully reviewed once the significant changes in relation to the other routes are implemented.
18. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he plans to put in place to ensure that local bus services will not be undermined, affecting the elderly, disabled and most vulnerable with the new plans for BusConnects from the NTA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37720/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the NTA supported by Dublin Bus have embarked on a process of full public consultation of BusConnects proposals, involving local brochures, local face to face events organised at various locations around the city, digital imaging of the network, on-line surveys and consultation with user groups. They are both in listening mode to people who have suggestions as to how these plans can be made even better. The public consultation process will run until 28th September and presents a great opportunity for people to have their say before the plans are finalised by the NTA. The NTA expect to publish the finding from the public consultation phase before the year end.
As part of the consultation process, I am advised that the NTA has also engaged with disability groups, facilitated by the National Disability Authority, with regard to the BusConnects proposals. The NTA understand that the issue of interchange is more difficult for elderly people and people with disabilities. Accordingly, it intends to make changes between services as seamless as possible and they are planning that each key interchange location will have a bus shelter, seating, lighting and passenger information. Where bus routes intersect at a junction, the bus stops will be moved as close as possible to the junction to minimise any walking required during the bus interchange, and pedestrian crossings will be added where necessary.
Recent reports show that approximately 70% of people travelling into Dublin city each morning do so by sustainable transport. Well over half of all the public transport trips are by bus; some 136 million passenger journeys annually. It is no surprise then that Bus is the main component of the planned approach to addressing our current congestion problem and to meeting our future transport needs.
As those numbers grow, and as congestion worsens, it is becoming increasingly difficult to operate a reliable bus system with sufficient capacity to cater for the needs of the region. On the busiest bus routes, bus lanes are only in place for less than one third of the corridor. This means that for most of the journey, buses are competing for space with general traffic and so are also affected by the increasing levels of congestion.
BusConnects Dublin aims to overhaul the current bus system in the Dublin region by:
- building a network of new bus corridors on the busiest bus routes to make bus journeys for passengers faster, predictable and reliable;
- completely redesigning the network of bus routes to provide passengers with a more efficient network, connecting more places and carrying more people;
- developing a state-of-the-art ticketing system using credit and debit cards or mobile phones to link with payment accounts and making payment much more convenient for the travelling public;
- implementing a cashless payment system to vastly speed up passenger boarding times;
- revamping the fare system to provide a simpler fare structure;
- allowing seamless movement for passengers between different public transport services, without financial penalty;
- implementing a new bus livery providing a modern look and feel to the new bus system;
- rolling out new bus stops with better signage and passenger information, and increasing the provision of additional bus shelters; and
- transitioning - starting now - to a new bus fleet using low-emission vehicle technologies.
Last month the National Transport Authority (NTA) published the “Dublin Area Bus Network Redesign Public Consultation Report”. This report notes that the existing bus network in Dublin is very complex, is designed primarily around overlapping and long radial routes taking people into the city centre, but with very few orbital routes. Recent improvements to the rail and tram networks require changes to the bus services to exploit their full potential. Finally the city is growing and changing as are the bus journeys people are taking.
The report identifies 4 key strategies to address the issues with the current network: standardise service categories; simplify radial services; build frequent orbitals and grow suburban feeder networks.
While there will be concerns with any change, these strategies will deliver many benefits for the customer; much simpler city services; much simpler fare structure; provide more frequent all day services through new and frequent orbital services interchanging with local services and high frequency radial spines.
Under these proposals, an overall increase in services of 27% is expected, which as far as customers are concerned, can only be a good thing. The NTA estimate that of people who currently have a direct service to the city centre about 92% will continue to have a direct service under the new bus proposals.
To conclude, it is envisaged that BusConnects will deliver a bus system that will enable more people to travel by bus than ever before, support the elderly and people with disabilities in their travel, and allow bus commuting to become a viable and attractive choice for employees, students, shoppers and visitors.
19. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of driver testers located in each county in each of the years 2015 to 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37702/18]
View answerThe following table outlines the number of driver testers operating and headquartered by County for each of the years 2015, 2016 and 2017. The number of testers will fluctuate throughout the year, for example as testers retire and are replaced by new recruits.
Number of testers headquartered
|
County |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|
Carlow |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Cavan |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Clare |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Cork |
8 |
7 |
8 |
|
Donegal |
3 |
2 |
2 |
|
Dublin |
37 |
39 |
37 |
|
Galway |
3 |
3 |
5 |
|
Kerry |
4 |
4 |
3 |
|
Kildare |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Kilkenny |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Laois |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Limerick |
7 |
5 |
5 |
|
Longford |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Louth |
3 |
4 |
3 |
|
Mayo |
4 |
3 |
3 |
|
Meath |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
Monaghan |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Offaly |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Roscommon |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Sligo |
3 |
3 |
4 |
|
Tipperary |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Waterford |
4 |
4 |
5 |
|
Westmeath |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Wexford |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Wicklow |
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
Total |
99 |
94 |
101 |
20. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the consultations which have taken place with disability advocacy groups during the development of the BusConnects proposals (details supplied); the input a body has had on the proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37713/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the NTA supported by Dublin Bus have embarked on a process of full public consultation on the BusConnects proposals involving local brochures, local face to face events organised at various locations around the city, digital imaging of the network, on-line surveys and consultation with user groups. They are both listening to people who have suggestions as to how these plans can be made even better. The public consultation process will run until 28th September and presents a great opportunity for people to have their say before the plans are finalised by the NTA. The NTA expect to publish the finding from the public consultation phase before the year end.
As part of the consultation process, I am advised that the NTA has also engaged with disability groups, facilitated by the National Disability Authority, with regard to the BusConnects proposals. The NTA understand that the issue of interchange is more difficult for elderly people and people with disabilities. Accordingly, it intends to make changes between services as seamless as possible. NTA are planning that each key interchange location will have a bus shelter, seating, lighting and passenger information. Where bus routes intersect at a junction, the bus stops will be moved as close as possible to the junction to minimise any walking required during the bus interchange, and pedestrian crossings will be added where necessary.
As I outlined earlier, recent reports show that approximately 70% of people travelling into Dublin city each morning do so by sustainable transport. Well over half of all the public transport trips are by bus; some 136 million passenger journeys annually. It is no surprise then that bus is the main component of the planned approach to addressing our current congestion problem and to meeting our future transport needs.
Against this context, the NTA are progressing the roll-out of BusConnects commencing in Dublin. BusConnects Dublin provides the foundation to this overall transport system, with the revised bus system projected to carry the majority of passengers across the region and provide key linkages to serve the needs of Dublin into the future
BusConnects Dublin aims to overhaul the current bus system in the Dublin region by:
- building a network of new bus corridors on the busiest bus routes to make bus journeys for passengers faster, predictable and reliable;
- completely redesigning the network of bus routes to provide passengers with a more efficient network, connecting more places and carrying more people;
- developing a state-of-the-art ticketing system using credit and debit cards or mobile phones to link with payment accounts and making payment much more convenient for the travelling public;
- implementing a cashless payment system to vastly speed up passenger boarding times;
- revamping the fare system to provide a simpler fare structure;
- allowing seamless movement for passengers between different public transport services, without financial penalty;
- implementing a new bus livery providing a modern look and feel to the new bus system;
- rolling out new bus stops with better signage and passenger information, and increasing the provision of additional bus shelters; and
- transitioning - starting now - to a new bus fleet using low-emission vehicle technologies.
While there will be concerns with any change, these strategies will deliver many benefits for the customer; much simpler city services; much simpler fare structure; provide more frequent all day services through new and frequent orbital services interchanging with local services and high frequency radial spines.
Under these proposals, an overall increase in services of 27% is expected, which as far as customers are concerned, can only be a good thing. The NTA estimate that, of people who currently have a direct service to the city centre about 92% will continue to have such a service under the new proposals.
To conclude, it is envisaged that BusConnects will deliver a bus system that will enable more people to travel by bus than ever before, and allow bus commuting to become a viable and attractive choice for employees, students, shoppers and visitors. In order to deliver on this ambition and make this a reality, I will be asking NTA to continue with its commitment to engage with all representative groups, including disability groups, to ensure that BusConnects will be a public transport system accessible to all.
21. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department is liaising with the Law Reform Commission on the consolidation project to consolidate all road traffic Acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37714/18]
View answerAs I informed the Deputy in my response to Question No. 574 of 23 May last, the priorities in my Department in respect of road traffic legislation have been focused on legislation which is immediately needed.
At that time I mentioned the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017 and the Vehicle Registration Data (Automated Searching and Exchange) Bill 2018, both of which have now been passed. I also indicated that I had asked my officials to commence work on a road traffic bill to provide for graduated penalties for speeding offences, and work on this is well advanced.
Consolidation of the Road Traffic Acts will be a complex exercise and while not considered a priority project at this time, is one that would be worthwhile in the future. As I informed the Deputy in May, such a project may ultimately require an element of outsourcing, but this has yet to be fully examined.
While I agree that it will be a valuable exercise to consolidate the law in this area, I do think that sometimes the benefits of consolidation are over-stated. It will make the law easier to comprehend, at least in the short term. However - and I want to emphasise this - the absence of a consolidation has not led, to my knowledge, to a single failure of a prosecution.
22. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the BusConnects public consultation to date; his further views on the plan at this early stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37884/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the NTA supported by Dublin Bus have embarked on a process of full public consultation on the BusConnects proposals, involving local brochures, local face to face events organised at various locations around the city, digital imaging of the network, on-line surveys and consultation with user groups. They are both in listening mode to people who have suggestions as to how these plans can be made even better. The public consultation process will run until 28th September and presents a great opportunity for people to have their say before the plans are finalised by the NTA. The NTA expect to publish the finding from the public consultation phase before the year end.
As part of the consultation process, I am advised that the NTA has also engaged with disability groups, facilitated by the National Disability Authority, with regard to the BusConnects proposals. The NTA understand that the issue of interchange is more difficult for elderly people and people with disabilities. Accordingly, it intends to make changes between services as seamless as possible. NTA are planning that each key interchange location will have a bus shelter, seating, lighting and passenger information. Where bus routes intersect at a junction, the bus stops will be moved as close as possible to the junction to minimise any walking required during the bus interchange, and pedestrian crossings will be added where necessary.
Recent reports show that approximately 70% of people travelling into Dublin city each morning do so by sustainable transport. Well over half of all the public transport trips are by bus; some 136 million passenger journeys annually. It is no surprise then that bus is the main component of the planned approach to addressing our current congestion problem and to meeting our future transport needs.
As those numbers grow, and as congestion worsens, it is becoming increasingly difficult to operate a reliable bus system with sufficient capacity to cater for the needs of the region. On the busiest bus routes, bus lanes are only in place for less than one third of the corridor. This means that for most of the journey, buses are competing for space with general traffic and so are also affected by the increasing levels of congestion.
Against this context, the NTA are progressing the roll-out of BusConnects commencing in Dublin. BusConnects Dublin provides the foundation to this overall transport system, with the revised bus system projected to carry the majority of passengers across the region and provide key linkages to serve the needs of Dublin into the future.
BusConnects Dublin aims to overhaul the current bus system in the Dublin region by:
- building a network of new bus corridors on the busiest bus routes to make bus journeys for passengers faster, predictable and reliable;
- completely redesigning the network of bus routes to provide passengers with a more efficient network, connecting more places and carrying more people;
- developing a state-of-the-art ticketing system using credit and debit cards or mobile phones to link with payment accounts and making payment much more convenient for the travelling public;
- implementing a cashless payment system to vastly speed up passenger boarding times;
- revamping the fare system to provide a simpler fare structure;
- allowing seamless movement for passengers between different public transport services, without financial penalty;
- implementing a new bus livery providing a modern look and feel to the new bus system;
- rolling out new bus stops with better signage and passenger information and increasing the provision of additional bus shelters; and
- transitioning - starting now - to a new bus fleet using low-emission vehicle technologies.
While there will be concerns with any change, these strategies will deliver many benefits for the customer; much simpler city services; much simpler fare structure; provide more frequent all day services through new and frequent orbital services interchanging with local services and high frequency radial spines.
I am aware of concerns raised by people at the Information roadshows and at local meetings. Area specific issues raised at public consultation will be looked at again by both the NTA and Dublin Bus when the consultation period is over. While the proposed network is a significant opportunity to continue the growth of bus services, it will be a huge change for everyone in the city. However, the objective of the proposals is to provide a bus service that is easier to use, understand and more attractive to customers and to potential customers - to make the network more efficient, with frequent services and access to more places.
To conclude, it is envisaged that BusConnects will deliver a bus system that will enable more people to travel by bus than ever before, and allow bus commuting to become a viable and attractive choice for employees, students, shoppers and visitors.
23. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will request the NTA to reconsider its plan to remove 10% of direct bus services into the city in view of concerns from many residents in Dublin over the proposed BusConnects plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37772/18]
View answerRecent reports show that approximately 70% of people travelling into Dublin city each morning do so by sustainable transport. Well over half of all the public transport trips are by bus; some 136 million passenger journeys annually. It is no surprise then that Bus is the main component of the planned approach to addressing our current congestion problem and to meeting our future transport needs.
As those numbers grow, and as congestion worsens, it is becoming increasingly difficult to operate a reliable bus system with sufficient capacity to cater for the needs of the region. On the busiest bus routes, bus lanes are only in place for less than one third of the corridor. This means that for most of the journey, buses are competing for space with general traffic and so are also affected by the increasing levels of congestion.
Against this context, the NTA are progressing the roll-out of BusConnects commencing in Dublin. BusConnects Dublin provides the foundation to this overall transport system, with the revised bus system projected to carry the majority of passengers across the region and provide key linkages to serve the needs of Dublin into the future.
BusConnects Dublin aims to overhaul the current bus system in the Dublin region by:
- building a network of new bus corridors on the busiest bus routes to make bus journeys for passengers faster, predictable and reliable;
- completely redesigning the network of bus routes to provide passengers with a more efficient network, connecting more places and carrying more people;
- developing a state-of-the-art ticketing system using credit and debit cards or mobile phones to link with payment accounts and making payment much more convenient for the travelling public;
- implementing a cashless payment system to vastly speed up passenger boarding times;
- revamping the fare system to provide a simpler fare structure;
- allowing seamless movement for passengers between different public transport services, without financial penalty;
- implementing a new bus livery providing a modern look and feel to the new bus system;
- rolling out new bus stops with better signage and passenger information, and increasing the provision of additional bus shelters; and
- transitioning - starting now - to a new bus fleet using low-emission vehicle technologies
Under these proposals, an overall increase in services of 27% is expected, which as far as customers are concerned, can only be a good thing. The NTA estimate that of people who currently have a direct service to the city centre 92% will continue to have such a service under the new proposals.
As the Deputy is aware, the NTA supported by Dublin Bus have embarked on a process of full public consultation on these bus proposals, involving local brochures, local face to face events organised at various locations around the city, digital imaging of the network, on-line surveys and consultation with user groups. They are both in listening mode to people who have suggestions as to how these plans can be made even better. The public consultation process will run until 28th September and presents a great opportunity for people to have their say before the plans are finalised by the NTA. The NTA expect to publish the finding from the public consultation phase before the year end.
As part of the consultation process, I am advised that the NTA has also engaged with disability groups, facilitated by the National Disability Authority, with regard to the BusConnects proposals. The NTA understand that the issue of interchange is more difficult for elderly people and people with disabilities. Accordingly, it intends to make changes between services as seamless as possible. NTA are planning that each key interchange location will have a bus shelter, seating, lighting and passenger information. Where bus routes intersect at a junction, the bus stops will be moved as close as possible to the junction to minimise any walking required during the bus interchange, and pedestrian crossings will be added where necessary.
While the proposed network is a significant opportunity to continue the growth of bus services, it will be a huge change for everyone in the city. However, the objective of the proposals is to provide a bus service that is easier to use, understand and more attractive to customers and to potential customers - to make the network more efficient, with frequent services and access to more places. While there will be concerns with any change, these strategies will deliver many benefits for the customer; much simpler city services; much simpler fare structure; provide more frequent all day services through new and frequent orbital services interchanging with local services and high frequency radial spines.
I am aware of concerns raised by people at the Information roadshows and at local meetings. Area specific issues raised at public consultation will be looked at again by both the NTA and Dublin Bus when the consultation period is over. While the proposed network is a significant opportunity to continue the growth of bus services, it will be a huge change for everyone in the city. However, the objective of the proposals is to provide a bus service that is easier to use, understand and more attractive to customers and to potential customers - to make the network more efficient, with frequent services and access to more places.
To conclude, it is envisaged that BusConnects will deliver a bus system that will enable more people to travel by bus than ever before, and allow bus commuting to become a viable and attractive choice for employees, students, shoppers and visitors.
24. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the revised rail review will be published; the position regarding Iarnród Éireann; the debt at the company; the safety issues that have been flagged; and the steps he plans to take to improve matters including details of capital investment. [37795/18]
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. In advance of that, no decisions have been taken regarding matters such as the future of individual rail lines.
I have stated previously that there are no plans for the closure of any parts of the rail network. The Taoiseach has also given assurances in the Dáil in recent months that there are no plans in this regard.
Regarding the financial performance of the company, according to Iarnród Éireann's most recently published financial statements the company incurred a deficit of €1.1 million in 2017, which was lower than the deficit of €2.9 million that was incurred in the previous year. The continued recovery of our national economy has resulted in increased passenger journeys and consequent growth in passenger revenue for Irish Rail.
All debt (in the form of external third party borrowings) within the CIÉ group of companies is held by CIÉ holding company. As Iarnród Éireann is a wholly owned subsidiary of CIÉ holding company, there is no debt (in the form of external third party borrowings) currently held by Iarnród Éireann.
In relation to the Deputy's query on safety, the strong record of Iarnród Éireann in this regard is acknowledged by the European Union Agency for Railways' review of safety performance and by the Commission for Railway Regulation.
The Commission's most recent Railway Safety Performance in Ireland report, in December 2017, stated that "The safety performance of our principal railway organisations in 2016 was, on the whole, positive, particularly given the backdrop of increased passenger numbers on both Iarnród Éireann and on the Luas."
As the Deputy is aware, the National Development Plan identifies a number of key investment priorities for the inter-urban rail network. These include, for example, the ongoing programme of investment to protect that investment already made in the national rail system through maintenance and renewal activities, including such projects as the National Train Control Centre and the City Centre Resignalling Project.
The Infrastructure Multi Annual Manager Contract (IMMAC) is the contractual arrangement between my Department and Irish Rail for the channelling of Exchequer funds for investment in railway infrastructure, safety, asset renewal and maintenance in order to protect the quality of service and investments already made. €160m of Exchequer funding is allocated this year to Irish Rail under the IMMAC contract.
25. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the actions he can take to address the cost of train fares for commuters from Newbridge and Kildare outside the short hop zone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37847/18]
View answerThe National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for regulating fares charged by public transport operators. I have therefore 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.
26. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1085 and 1086 of 7 September 2018 (details supplied), the measures the airport authority or he has put in place to ascertain if there are munitions or dangerous goods on board aircraft such as this. [37719/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, my Department operates a procedure in accordance with the provisions of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973, under which airlines wishing to carry weapons or munitions through Irish airspace or airports must apply for each individual flight at least 48 hours in advance. My Department seeks the views relevant Departments, and the IAA is also consulted in relation to aviation safety issues for applications involving munitions that are also categorised as dangerous goods.
In the case of the particular flight operation referred to by the Deputy, I can confirm that no such application was made by the air carrier to indicate it was carrying either munitions or dangerous goods.
In the event that any aircraft is carrying hazardous material, there are notification procedures in place at Shannon to ensure that the fire service is alerted and that the aircraft is parked in a designated remote location, if deemed necessary. I understand no such notification was made in this instance.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has not considered it necessary or appropriate to establish a framework for inspections of aircraft specifically with regard to compliance with the 1973 Order. Authorised officers of the IAA have the necessary powers of inspection of all aircraft in Ireland for the purposes of ensuring compliance with the safety requirements arising from the Air Navigation and Transport Acts and relevant EU laws.
It should also be noted that where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence has been committed An Garda Siochana has available powers of entry, search and seizure.
27. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding for the extension of the M3 motorway to Cavan town and the east-west link will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37761/18]
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 (TII) 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. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
28. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of national road projects to be commenced between September 2018 and the end of 2019; the number that will be financed by way of public private partnership; and his views on the public private partnership financing model for national road building projects. [37878/18]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once policy and funding arrangements have been put in place, under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the planning, design and operation of individual roads is a matter for the relevant road authority in relation to local and regional roads, or for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in conjunction with the local authorities concerned in relation to national roads.
I understand from TII that there are a number of Capital Roads Programmes in development and noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) have made a significant contribution to the delivery of the Capital Roads Programme across the country.
The Public Private Partnership (PPP) review, published in parallel with the National Development Plan, found that PPPs have been very useful in facilitating the delivery of important infrastructure. This was particularly the case when the Exchequer was seriously constrained in terms of its ability to fund infrastructure directly, given their use of private finance, on an off-balance sheet basis. This enabled projects to proceed which would not otherwise have been deliverable on the basis of Exchequer funding alone.
Looking to the future and given the significant increase in planned Exchequer capital investment over the coming years, which will see public investment in Ireland as a share of national income moving to among the highest in the EU, the PPP review concluded that PPPs can play a very important role in the delivery of public capital investment projects contained in the National Development Plan.
Noting the benefits that PPPs can deliver, the review recommended that PPPs remain as an effective procurement option for appropriate public capital investment projects within the suite of capital investment mechanisms available to Departments. It is important that PPPs should be assessed on a level-playing field basis as compared to traditional procurement. All large-scale projects included in the new National Development Plan should, therefore, continue to be assessed in terms of suitability for procurement by PPP and/or alternative financing, in particular projects which involve user charges or which offer the potential to generate significant third party income.
It is essential that these projects continue to be judged on their merits and if PPPs offer better value-for-money than traditional procurement, I would encourage that they are considered and selected on that basis.
29. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether tourism is being curtailed by the lack of hotel rooms in Dublin; and the way in which future capacity is being managed in view of the housing emergency. [37796/18]
View answer2017 was a record year for Irish tourism. To date, CSO overseas tourism figures for 2018 confirm a very strong performance overall by Irish tourism, with key main markets continuing to show significant growth. These figures suggest that we are on target for a record high performance for the year as a whole.
Fáilte Ireland monitors the performance of tourist accommodation through regular occupancy surveys. This analysis indicates that while the country as a whole has sufficient stock of tourist accommodation, there are capacity constraints in areas of high tourist traffic at times of peak demand and additional capacity is required in certain parts of the country, particularly Dublin city.
In this context, Fáilte Ireland commissions periodic assessments of hotel accommodation in Dublin, most recently August 2018. Although the latest results confirm the current shortage, they expect that approximately 5,400 hotel rooms will come on stream in the coming years, including over 3,000 already under construction. Present projections are that this activity will still be outpaced by growing demand but this is a dynamic situation and additional room stock may be developed in response to this demand.
Housing policy is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, but with specific regard to factors within my Department's and Fáilte Ireland's remit, revised hotel Regulations were introduced in 2016. These regulations were in response to consumer preferences and in order to boost the economic rationale for investment in hotel development. The changes set out in these Regulations, in particular in regard to minimum room size have made investment even more attractive by allowing hotel operators provide more rooms and operate at a lower cost base, thereby improving hotel capacity, competitiveness and profitability. Consumers also benefit in terms of increased room capacity, competition and range of accommodation.
30. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the works being undertaken by Fingal County Council as a result of the decision to appoint it as the competent authority under EU Regulation 598/14, with particular reference to the fact that it has not been given legislative authority to carry out these functions. [37716/18]
View answerEarlier this year the Government made a decision to appoint Fingal County Council as the Competent Authority for the purposes of EU Regulation 598/2014. Since that decision, my Department along with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government has been developing a draft General Scheme to give effect to the Regulation by way of primary legislation.
It is my understanding that Fingal County Council has in the meantime undertaken a noise assessment process as required by the 2002 Environmental Noise Directive, for which it already has existing responsibility. That process includes mapping and assessing noise at Dublin Airport, and producing a noise action plan. There is a strong and deliberate relationship between the 2002 Noise Directive and Regulation 598 as conceived and agreed at European level, which is why Fingal is a natural fit to take on the additional roles set out in Regulation 598.
It is my Department’s intention to have the Primary legislation for Regulation 598 enacted by the end of the year. This will give Fingal County Council full statutory powers to act as the Airport Noise Regulator for Dublin Airport in accordance with the Regulation. There is no question of it acting on Regulation 598 in advance of having those legal powers.
31. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to invest in tourism infrastructure here with a particular emphasis on promoting historical and cultural tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37880/18]
View answerMy Department's role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of national tourism policy development, whereas the tourism agencies have operational responsibility for the implementation of this policy. With regard to the tourism product, my Department provides capital funding to Fáilte Ireland for investment in tourism.
As set out in the National Development Plan 2018-2027, almost €108 million has been allocated to Fáilte Ireland for capital investment between 2018 and 2021 and it is intended that this level of funding will, at a minimum, be maintained over the lifetime of the National Development Plan.
Priority areas for tourism capital investment through Fáilte Ireland's programmes include the development and enhancement of tourist attractions and activity-based tourism to provide the type and quality of experience that visitors are seeking. This investment will support and grow tourism across Ireland, in line with the further development and promotion of the regional tourism brand experiences.
With specific regard to promoting and leveraging the appeal of Ireland's culture, history and heritage, these are an intrinsic element of all the tourism experience brands but are particularly to the fore in Ireland's Ancient East, which has an especially rich and diverse range of cultural heritage experiences including passage tombs, monastic sites and medieval castles.
Overall, capital investment in Ireland's tourism product - including cultural and heritage experiences - aims to continue to motivate large numbers of international tourists to visit the country, with the ultimate goal being to deliver sustainable growth for Irish tourism, resulting in higher revenue and additional jobs.
I have asked Fáilte ireland to provide the Deputy with further detail in regard to investment in this sector. Please contact my office if you do not hear within ten working days.
32. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the Dodder greenway project will be commenced; if it will be financed from the €53 million allocated for such projects; and if so, the process by which funds will be allocated for specific projects. [37877/18]
View answerMy Department recently launched the Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways in July of this year. This Strategy provides 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 sets 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.
Applications for this funding call are currently open, with a closing date of 30 November 2018. The current budget available to my Department for the delivery of Greenways for the period 2019 to 2021 is €53m. The application form is available on my Department’s website along with other relevant documents such as the Strategy itself and the Funding Criteria document. Funding will be awarded to deserving projects that have planning significantly advanced and that best meet the criteria in the first half of 2019.
The Strategy further sets out that some Greenways will continue to be funded by the National Transport Authority under their responsibility for Cycling infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area and the Regional Cities. This will particularly be the case where the function of the Greenway is for commuting purposes rather than tourism purposes. The Dodder Greenway, certainly at the City end, will function primarily as a commuter route and, accordingly, I understand that the Dodder Greenway is part of the NTA's GDA Cycle Network Plan.
Given the National Transport Authority's (NTA) responsibility for the development and implementation of cycling infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area in co-operation with each local authority, I am forwarding the Deputy's question to the NTA for their consideration and comment on greenway projects under consideration and for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the NTA within 10 working days please contact my private office.
33. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the exact criteria that must be met by applicants under the sports capital programme as recently announced in order to qualify for the maximum grant. [37723/18]
View answerThe 2018 round of the Sports Capital Programme (SCP) was opened for applications on 7 September and the deadline for applications in 5pm on 19 October. All applications must be submitted online on www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie.
While the exact scoring system for this year's applications has not been finalised, the guide to making an application is available on the Department's website and contains a section on how applications will be assessed and also details the maximum grants available. Every valid application will be assessed against 6 criteria:-
- Likelihood of increasing participation and /improving performance.
- Whether the facility will be shared with other sports clubs/organisations.
- The level of socio-economic disadvantage in the area of the proposed project.
- The technical merits of the project.
- The level of own- funding being provided by the club/organisation.
- The level of SCP funding received in the past 10 years.
Applicants are also advised that the assessment process is competitive and that simply meeting the minimum criteria under the headings above does not guarantee funding. Prior to knowing the number of applications received and commencing the assessment process, it is not possible to state whether any application will receive the maximum grant available.
34. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress that has been made on applying to the European Union for the revision of the TEN-T core network including applying for the reinstatement of the cross-Border western arc, as the programme for partnership Government outlined that this would happen in the first three months. [25934/18]
View answerUnder the Programme for Partnership Government, the Government committed to applying to the European Union for the revision of the TEN-T Core Network, including in relation to the Western Arc.
A submission is being prepared for the European Commission for a revision of the TEN-T Core Network, which would seek to facilitate consideration of transport-related project proposals for funding under the Connecting Europe Facility for transport in the Western Arc region. The submission will also take into account the implications of Brexit on western and north-west regions.
My officials met the European Commissioner for Transport, Ms Violeta Bulc, and her officials in October 2017 in relation to transport issues, including the potential impacts of Brexit on Ireland’s connectivity and increased geographical isolation in the EU. In that context, my officials informed the Commissioner that a submission will be forthcoming. My officials also separately met with the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) in November of last year and briefed DG Move on the Government’s commitment and on the pending submission. DG Move advised that the submission would be considered on receipt but indicated that it may not meet the criteria for the Core Network. However, it noted that under the Regulation, a review of the implementation of the Core Network will take place by end 2023.
