Written Answers Nos. 48-60
48. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he plans to take to ensure that the mountain rescue teams have enough resources to fulfil their vital role; the extra resources provided to each team in 2019; the amount paid to each team in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15099/19]
View answerMy Department has recently carried out an internal review of the administration of the mountain rescue grants. In recognition of the fact that patterns of activity have increased since the grant was originally apportioned, I have recently approved an increased allocation for 2019 within the Irish Coast Guard's overall allocation. My officials are currently working on the specific allocations to the teams and Mountain Rescue Ireland. These will be announced over the next couple of months.
The following Table sets out the amount in 2018 paid to each team.
|
2018 Grant |
Amount € |
|
Sligo-Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team |
7,407.00 |
|
SARDA- Search and Rescue Dog Association |
7,407.00 |
|
Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue Team |
14,815.00 |
|
South Eastern Mountain Rescue Team |
7,407.00 |
|
Kerry Mountain Rescue Team |
14,815.00 |
|
Donegal Mountain Rescue Team |
7,407.00 |
|
ICRO |
18,520.00 |
|
Mayo Mountain Rescue Team |
7,407.00 |
|
Galway Mountain Rescue Team |
7,407.00 |
|
Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue |
14,815.00 |
|
Mountain Rescue Ireland |
18,520.00 |
49. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the capital funding secured to improve the Mullingar to Dublin rail service in terms of additional carriages and extra journeys due to the continuous issues being experienced by passengers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15125/19]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has a statutory responsibility for the provision of rail infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, into which the rail service about which the Deputy is asking operates).
In view of the NTA's responsibility in these matters, I have referred the Deputy's question to it for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
50. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the work to minimise the impacts of Brexit on the haulage industry here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15105/19]
View answerMy Department has kept in close contact with road haulage stakeholders such as the Irish Road Haulage Association, Freight Transport Association Ireland, IBEC, the Irish Exporters Association and the British Irish Chambers of Commerce throughout the Brexit negotiations. I also met with Freight Transport Association Ireland on 29 January last. My Department continues to work with the industry representative bodies to keep hauliers and enterprises informed of developments and prospects, as indeed is our long-established practice.
My Department hosted a Freight Forum with stakeholders including haulage industry representative bodies on 21 January 2019 to inform them of Brexit developments. My Department, along with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Agriculture addressed the group. On 14 March, my Department issued a comprehensive Brexit Communications Notice to all licensed international haulage operators, which outlines the position in relation to a range of transport issues arising under Brexit. This notice is published on my Department’s website and the information available online will continue to be updated to keep industry stakeholders informed of Brexit developments. I can assure you that I and other Government Ministers continue to engage with our EU partners to find solutions for the road freight transport sector to minimise the potential disruption to Irish hauliers’ access to and through the UK in the event of a “no deal” Brexit. In December 2018, the European Commission made a proposal for a regulation relating to road freight transport in order to maintain basic connectivity in the event of a “no deal” Brexit. In this situation, this temporary measure will allow EU hauliers to continue to access the UK for a limited period of time, provided that the UK gives reciprocal treatment to EU companies and operators. The finalisation of this regulation is at an advanced stage.
All Government Departments and agencies, including my Department, are continuing their contingency planning for Brexit. The Government remains firmly of the view that ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement that has been agreed between the EU and the UK remains the best way to ensure an orderly UK exit. At its meeting on 11 December 2018, the Government decided to give greater immediate priority to the preparations for a “no deal” Brexit. This work is being co-ordinated by the Department of the Taoiseach in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and involves all Government Departments and agencies.
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, along with other Government Departments, has emphasised the importance of stakeholders taking all necessary steps within their control to prepare for Brexit, including undertaking contingency planning to minimise the impact of Brexit on their operations. I would encourage haulage operators to refer to the European Commission’s published Notices to Stakeholders in the field of transport and the basic connectivity Regulation.
51. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce regulation for drones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15103/19]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has statutory responsibility for aviation safety regulation in Ireland, including the regulation of remotely piloted aircraft systems (drones), as provided for under S.I. No. 563/2015 - Irish Aviation Authority (Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drones) and Rockets) Order, 2015. To date over 10,000 drones and model aircraft have been registered.
A key objective of regulation is to prevent unintentional misuse of drones which may lead to safety or security concerns. Correct operation of drones offer many benefits in a wide range of economic and social areas; however misuse can be harmful.
There are robust and effective drone management systems and procedures in place at the State airports which have proven effective in managing the response to the incursion at Dublin Airport on 21 February and in minimising the impact on schedules. Following that event, an Ad Hoc Meeting on Drones was hosted by my Department where a discussion with key stakeholders took place regarding safety, security and operational impacts of drones at airports.
As an action from the meeting, my Department and the IAA are jointly seeking to organise a symposium in May bringing together some leading international experts on drones and the relevant stakeholders in Ireland with a view to considering possible improvements to our current arrangements for managing the threat posed by drones in the aviation sector in particular.
European Union regulation in relation to the registration and operation of drones will take effect next year. More specifically, the European Aviation Safety Agency proposals for a unified set of drone rules for all EU countries were approved at the end of February and the Implementing Regulation is expected to be published in early summer 2019 and to become applicable 12 months later (June 2020). These Regulations may result in some changes to the current national legislation.
52. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to put pressure on an organisation (details supplied) to implement the findings of a report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15054/19]
View answerAll National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs) are independent, autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own governance procedures.
It is vital that the highest standards of governance are in place across all levels of Irish sport to ensure accountability, fairness and transparency across organisational activities and support the integrity of sport both at home and abroad. The Government’s National Sports Policy 2018-2027 recognises the importance of good governance for the effective and efficient running of sport and it includes an action that Sport Ireland will oversee a process to have all NGBs and Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) adopt the Governance Code for the Community, Voluntary and Charity Sector by the end of 2021.
I believe that the Governance Code adequately captures the principles of good governance and that it provides the most appropriate framework against which to assess NGBs and LSPs in developing stronger governance.
I have made it clear that all sporting bodies in receipt of public funding must work towards compliance with the Governance Code for the Community, Voluntary and Charity Sector. My Department and Sport Ireland have underlined that future funding for NGBs and LSPs will be conditional on compliance with the Governance Code.
I understand that the organisation in question is in the process of adopting the Code. I would encourage the organisation to complete its adoption of the Governance Code at the earliest opportunity.
53. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of plans to reduce the carbon emissions of the public transport fleet nationwide; the steps taken; the targets in this regard; if the targets are being met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15170/19]
View answerAccording to the most recent estimates from the Environment Protection Agency (2017), the national public transport fleet, encompassing rail, buses and small public service vehicles (SPSVs), represents just over 4% of all transport emissions. While no specific carbon emission reduction targets have been set for public transport I firmly believe that the sector has a strong leadership role in normalising the use of alternative fuels and technologies.
A programme of work is currently under way to promote the use of alternative fuels and to maximise the potential contribution of public transport towards reducing our overall transport emissions profile. Project Ireland 2040 has committed €8.6 billion to public transport over the coming years to 2027. This investment will enable the sector to cater, in an environmentally sustainable way, for the increasing transport demand associated with growing population and employment. Major sustainable transport projects planned include BusConnects, investment in the DART Expansion Programme; and the MetroLink; as well as the multi-annual urban cycling and walking infrastructure investment of over €110 million underway for our main cities.
In relation to the national bus fleet, as the Deputy will be aware, the NDP has committed us to no longer purchase diesel-only buses for the urban public bus fleet from July 2019. Under the BusConnects programme, which is to be administered by the National Transport Authority, by 2023, half of the Dublin bus fleet (approximately 500 buses) will be converted, with plans for full conversion by 2030. The programme is expected to be expanded to include urban bus fleets in Cork, Galway and potentially Limerick and Waterford. In preparation for this transition, my Department has undertaken a series of bus trials which are expected to conclude in April 2019. The findings from the trials will be considered, along with other research and market information, to inform the future direction of bus procurement.
It is also important to recognise the potential contribution of electrified rail to our decarbonisation objectives. Over the coming years an estimated €2 billion will be invested in the DART Expansion Programme which is a series of projects that will create a full metropolitan area DART network for Dublin, with all of the lines linked and connected. High-frequency electrified services to Drogheda, Celbridge/Hazelhatch, Maynooth and M3 Parkway are envisaged under the Programme. It will also include new stations to provide interchange with bus, LUAS and Metro networks. It is also expected that in 2022, Ireland will accept delivery of its first new diesel-electric trains which will enable the enlargement of the rail fleet by approximately some 300 new rail carriages. These major rail projects will help supplement the range of viable low carbon alternatives to private passenger car travel and positively impact our sectoral emissions profile.
Finally, regarding the SPSV sector (taxis, hackneys and limousines); in line with our ambition that by 2030 all new cars and vans sold in Ireland will be zero-emission capable, it is clear that electrification presents an achievable pathway towards decarbonisation. To this end, the Electric SPSV Grant Scheme was established by my Department and opened to applicants in February 2018, providing purchase grants of up to €7,000 for battery electric vehicles and up to €3,500 for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, available in addition to the range of other incentives and supports for electric vehicles. €500,000 has been allocated from my Department's Green Public Transport Fund in support of the initiative in 2019.
54. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the progress of the A5; the details of his engagement with his counterpart in Northern Ireland on the project; the funding which will be made available for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14946/19]
View answerThe planning and implementation of the A5 upgrade project is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland authorities.
The current funding arrangements in relation to the A5 are governed by the Stormont House Agreement and Implementation Plan - A Fresh Start. Under this Agreement the Government is committed to provide funding of £75 million (sterling) towards the cost of Phase 1a of the A5 upgrade scheme. The aim of this commitment was to facilitate the delivery of this phase of the scheme as soon as possible once the planning process in Northern Ireland was concluded.
As part of the Capital Plan Review in 2017 financial provision was made for meeting the Government's commitment regarding the A5 in 3 tranches over the period 2019 to 2021. When those allocations were put in place it was anticipated that the planning process would have concluded and construction of the 1st phase started before now.
However, legal challenges to the approval of the scheme have resulted in unavoidable delays to the timeframe for implementation of the scheme. Following judicial review proceedings last year the scheme approval was quashed.
In the absence of the Northern Ireland Executive I do not currently have a counterpart and the North South Ministerial Council has not been meeting. However, liaison is continuing, including meetings of the Senior Officials Group comprising Northern and Southern officials established to oversee implementation of the Fresh Start Agreement.
Allowing for the time required by the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to review work previously undertaken on the scheme and implement necessary statutory procedures, it was evident, following liaison at official level, that the initial €27 million tranche of funding would not be drawn down this year and would need to be rolled forward. As was the case for previous Government contributions, it is envisaged that payments towards the cost of the A5 will be based on an agreed protocol and linked to the achievement of construction stage milestones. Funding has been assured from 2020 onwards.
55. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties caused to persons with disabilities by the failure of lifts at DART and rail stations across the city and that these failures are ongoing and constant and make accessing public transport impossible for many persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15152/19]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The issues raised by the Deputy are operational matters for Iarnród Éireann and I have forwarded your questions to the company for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
56. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which it is proposed to increase the capacity of the commuter rail service in the north County Kildare commuter belt, with particular reference to the rail stations at Sallins, Celbridge, Confey, Leixlip, Maynooth and Kilcock, having particular regard to the need to ensure the availability of extra carriages in order to eliminate the prospect of passengers standing with consequent health and safety issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15120/19]
View answer465. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent of proposed augmentation and investment in rail services over the next five years, with particular reference to the extent that services can be tailored to meet the ongoing travel requirements of commuters such as identifying the way in which rail services in general can meet the demands of middle-distance commuters from towns and villages outside the greater Dublin area thereby alleviating road traffic congestion and reducing travel times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15451/19]
View answer466. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for investment in rail services over the next five years including extensions to services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15452/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 56, 465 and 466 together.
Project Ireland 2040 states that the priority funding objective in relation to mainline rail is the maintenance and renewal of the existing network so that it continues to provide a safe and reliable infrastructure that enables the provision of quality rail services for passengers across the country. This means ensuring ‘steady state’ levels of investment in our rail infrastructure each year for the foreseeable future and requires a significant and recurring capital investment of around €200 million from the taxpayer every year.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the funding I have secured under Project Ireland 2040 means that we are in a position to provide this steady state level of funding and this is significant and very welcome progress.
In addition to that significant increase in funding to support the infrastructure, we have also been increasing the funding available to support expanded services across the country through the PSO subsidy. That subsidy amounts to around €140 million each year and is paid in accordance with the Public Services Contract that Iarnród Éireann has entered into with the NTA.
So the Deputy can see we have improved the funding framework which in turn has allowed the National Transport Authority and Iarnród Éireann deliver an improved passenger experience.
Such improvements to date include:
- Introduction of 10 minute DART services;
- All peak-time DART services operated by 6 or 8-car train sets only;
- Additional off-peak capacity added to the Kildare Line, Maynooth and Northern Line services;
- Increased usage of the Phoenix Park Tunnel for Kildare Line services;
- Improved journey times on a number of key Intercity routes; and
- The roll-out of the City Centre Re-signalling Project, which will improve train movements thereby providing improved passenger capacity across the network.
Those are all immediate measures but obviously I know there are other medium and longer-term measures required, and key to those measures is the provision of additional rail fleet.
In the medium term, the challenge is to source additional rolling stock as efficiently and effectively as possible and ensuring value for money for the taxpayer in that regard. The NTA and Iarnród Éireann are currently exploring two options –
1. The purchase or lease of second-hand fleet;
2. The purchase of additional carriages to augment the existing “ICR” commuter fleet.
The Deputy will be aware that the first option is complicated by the different gauge of the Irish rail network; however, the NTA has recently advertised seeking expressions of interest and is currently considering the responses it received, as well as the proposal to purchase additional carriages. I expect a decision on the medium term response to the capacity challenge will be made very shortly.
In the longer term, and as part of the DART Expansion programme generally, there is a need to significantly increase the size of the rail fleet. Work on developing tender documentation and train specifications for the proposed bi-mode fleet of rail vehicles is progressing. It is expected that the formal fleet acquisition tender process will be initiated in the coming months and that the fleet manufacturing contract will be awarded either at the end of this year or the start of next year.
I hope therefore the Deputy can recognise that there are a number of short, medium and longer-term measures underway which are designed to deal with the very welcome increased numbers of passengers availing of our rail network.
57. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the steps he has taken to date to alleviate M50 traffic congestion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14930/19]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the planning, operation and improvement of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) along with other stakeholders, is continuing to implement a number of measures on the M50 to optimise operational efficiency.
It should be noted that a single piece of infrastructure cannot be looked at in isolation in an urban context. The National Transport Authority’s (NTA) Transport Strategy for the GDA 2016- 2035 sets out a number of projects and initiatives for the Greater Dublin Area that, when implemented, will greatly ease congestion for commuters. Project Ireland 2040 provides the funding for flagship projects such as BusConnects, DART Expansion and MetroLink.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII and NTA for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
58. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he expects to be in a position to address the issues of undercapacity on the M4 Maynooth to Leixlip in the short term in view of the daily occurrence of accidents and traffic jams; his views on whether the situation warrants immediate attention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15119/19]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the planning, design, operation and improvement of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
59. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the number of driver test instructors hired in 2018 failed to reach the target set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15148/19]
View answerThis is a matter for the Road Safety Authority. I have referred the question to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response is not received within 10 days.
