Written Answers Nos. 1081-1105
1081. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has given consideration to funding support for grassroots sports groups which fall outside the eligibility criteria of the Covid-19 stability fund for community and voluntary, charity and social enterprises which will be critical to persons when exiting the Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6921/20]
View answerWhile, as the Deputy states, many grass roots sports clubs fall outside the eligibility criteria for the Covid-19 Stability Fund, they can benefit from the various cross-sectoral measures already introduced by the Government, notably the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the series of enterprise supports ranging from liquidity funding, loan schemes and grants\vouchers, as well as deferred tax payments and deferral of commercial rates.
I am acutely aware of the particular difficulties and challenges facing sporting organisations, both locally and nationally. A COVID-19 Sports Monitoring Group, chaired at Ministerial level, has been established to engage directly with the sporting bodies. Sport Ireland is also directly engaging with the sporting bodies on an ongoing basis in relation to the development of protocols to facilitate a safe return to training and competition.
This extensive engagement with the sport sector has highlighted the significant, adverse impact of COVID-19 at all levels of the Irish sporting landscape. It has also demonstrated the importance of implementing an appropriate and focused response to the challenges facing all strands of the sector, ranging from the local sporting organisations and clubs to the National Governing Bodies. It is accordingly intended to develop a Sport Recovery Action Plan, in consultation with the sector, aimed at minimising the impacts and preparing the sector to restart activity, as part of the national recovery and renewal.
1082. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the definition of a large wedding, that is, numbers of guests, size of venue and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6929/20]
View answerI assume the Deputy is referring to the Government’s ‘Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business’.
In line with the sequence of actions to re-open the economy and society in the Roadmap, Phase 4 will see restrictions eased to allow “small social gatherings by family and close friends limited to a maximum number of attendees, for a limited period of time where social distancing can be maintained (e.g. small weddings, baptisms)”. Phase 5 allows for some larger social gatherings (e.g. large weddings), although these will be restricted due to risk.
All decisions regarding gatherings will be guided by public health advice. My officials await further clarification on the restrictions applying to social gatherings such as weddings and will communicate all clarifications when received.
1083. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for additional cleaning and disinfecting of commuter trains on the northern commuter line to specifically address Covid-19 concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6930/20]
View answerThe Government has been clear that continued operation of the public transport sector is important, and it has been designated among the essential services that are to carry on. I would like to thank operators and staff for their continued dedication to providing this vital service in such challenging times.
A number of measures have been introduced across the system, guided by public health advice, to ensure the continued operation of services during the pandemic, including enhanced cleaning regimes and social distancing measures across the network. My Department is engaging directly with the National Transport Authority (NTA) in relation to these measures and the NTA is coordinating the response of public transport operators, including Iarnród Éireann.
Accordingly, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
1084. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for additional cleaning and disinfecting of the Dublin Bus fleet to specifically address Covid-19 concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6931/20]
View answerThe Government has been clear that continued operation of the public transport sector is important, and it has been designated among the essential services that are to carry on. I would like to thank operators and staff for their continued dedication to providing this vital service in such challenging times.
A number of measures have been introduced across the system, guided by public health advice, to ensure the continued operation of services during the pandemic, including enhanced cleaning regimes and social distancing measures across the network. My Department is engaging directly with the National Transport Authority (NTA) in relation to these measures and the NTA is coordinating the response of public transport operators, including Dublin Bus.
Accordingly, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
1085. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for additional cleaning and disinfecting of the Bus Éireann fleet to specifically address Covid-19 concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6932/20]
View answerThe Government has been clear that continued operation of the public transport sector is important, and it has been designated among the essential services that are to carry on. I would like to thank operators and staff for their continued dedication to providing this vital service in such challenging times.
A number of measures have been introduced across the system, guided by public health advice, to ensure the continued operation of services during the pandemic, including enhanced cleaning regimes and social distancing measures across the network. My Department is engaging directly with the National Transport Authority (NTA) in relation to these measures and the NTA is coordinating the response of public transport operators, including Bus Éireann.
Accordingly, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
1086. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the supports available for private bus operators to ensure they can comply with safe distancing and other Covid-19 related recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6933/20]
View answerThe Covid-19 emergency, and the necessary restrictions on public movement and the temporary closure of many workplaces, education centres and leisure and social activities across the country has meant that far fewer people than normal have been needing to use public transport. Nonetheless, it remains a vital service for those it has continued to carry. This is why Government designated public transport as an essential service during the emergency situation. Public transport has served, and will continue to serve, a vital role in transporting essential workers and in supporting Government’s Roadmap to Reopening Society and Business in the weeks and months ahead.
Public health advices on social distancing are relevant across the public transport sector, and operators are implementing measures to facilitate adequate social distancing measures onboard; this significantly reduces the carrying capacity of public transport services.
While the majority of public transport in Ireland is provided by the publicly-subvented bus and rail services funded through National Transport Authority's (NTA) public service obligation (PSO) programme, the public transport system also includes non-subvented bus services provided on a commercial basis by bus and coach businesses of varying size. I understand that about 90% of the commercial bus operators have suspended their services or are providing significantly reduced services at present.
From my Department's engagement their representatives, and indeed from the NTA's regular engagement with them throughout, I understand the very difficult business environment that the commercial bus operators are now dealing with. Indeed, across Government we are acutely aware that the Covid-19 situation presents huge challenges for very many business sectors.
That is why we have worked to introduce a wide programme of Government supports for impacted businesses. The range of supports available includes new schemes of wage subsidies, rates waivers, re-start grants, lending facilities, equity injection, and business advisory supports for example. I am engaging with my colleague, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation about these matters and am raising with her the concerns and situation of the commercial operators.
1087. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there are specific instructions and supports for rail workers who will be assisting passengers with ramps and so on boarding and alighting from trains specifically regarding Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6934/20]
View answerThe Government has been clear that continued operation of the public transport sector is important, and it has been designated among the essential services that are to carry on. I would like to thank operators and staff for their continued dedication to providing this vital service in such challenging times.
A number of measures have been introduced across the system, guided by public health advice, to ensure the continued operation of services during the pandemic, including enhanced cleaning regimes and social distancing measures across the network. As the specific issue raised is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
1089. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of toll payments made on a daily and weekly basis at toll bridges during the months of February, March, April and the first week of May 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6967/20]
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 operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Matters relating to the day to day operations regarding national roads, including toll roads and the establishment of a system of tolls, are within the remit of TII. More specifically, the statutory power to levy tolls, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into agreements with private investors are vested in TII under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended).
Noting the above position, I have referred the question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
1090. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the consultation on powered personal transporters will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6987/20]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, my officials carried out a public consultation on whether or not to legislate for or regulate the use of powered personal transporters (PPTs) over a two month period late last year. In excess of 500 submissions were received, all of which were carefully considered. These submissions, in conjunction with independent research into the regulation and use of these vehicles in other jurisdictions, are forming the basis of reports prepared by officials. As such, any documents related to the consultation remain part of the deliberative process and will not be published or accessible under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 while the process is ongoing.
The issue of publication after the deliberative process has concluded will be a matter for the incoming Government.
1091. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the regulation of personal powered transports will be expedited in view of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6988/20]
View answerPowered personal transporters, or PPTs, are classed as mechanically propelled vehicles, the use of which requires a licence, tax and appropriate insurance in accordance with section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1961. As PPTs do not fall under any existing vehicle category, it is not currently possible to tax and insure them and there is no licence category for them. Therefore their use is strictly prohibited on public roads and in public places. Any changes to this require primary legislation would be a matter for a new Government to decide.
Before legislating for the use of PPTs there should be appropriate infrastructure in place that does not endanger either other vulnerable road users or those using PPTs.
In the current context, in several jurisdictions it has been noted that there were significant increases in demand on accident and emergency medical facilities due to PPTs. This would not be advisable here given the ongoing demands on our health service due to the Covid 19 pandemic and so any change that may create such additional demands would also have to be subject to consideration from that wider public health viewpoint.
1093. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to provide supports for the live entertainment industry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7015/20]
View answerAt the outset, I should clarify that my Department’s role in relation to tourism lies primarily in the area of developing national tourism policy and our tourism agencies (Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland) deal with the implementation of this policy.
This is of course a concerning time for everyone involved in the tourism sector, including those who benefit from the live entertainment industry. Many tourism businesses and employees are availing of the various supports which this Government has already introduced to respond to the Covid crisis.
On tourism, Minister Griffin and I have established an appropriate taskforce of industry, agency and departmental expertise tasked with producing a Tourism Recovery Plan. This plan will include a set of recommendations on how best the Irish tourism sector can recover in the changed tourism environment following the Covid-19 crisis.
1094. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to support taxi drivers in an industry that has been devastated by the collapse in tourism, air travel, pubs and restaurants, live entertainment and sports (details supplied); if a financial support package will be established for these drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7017/20]
View answer1095. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if supports for new drivers entering the taxi industry will be ceased in view of the fact the industry is oversupplied; if a buy back scheme will be established in which taxi drivers exiting the industry can recover the cost they paid for their licences and, hand the licence on to a family member or both as an incentive for those exiting the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7018/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1094 and 1095 together.
The Government has put in place a range of measures to assist businesses during the current COVID-19 pandemic, including a waiver of commercial rates and the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme. Self-employed owner operators of SPSVs may also avail of the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment of €350 a week.
I recognise that demand for SPSV services is particularly reliant on the tourism and hospitality sector, and since the onset of the Covid-19 Emergency and the introduction of restrictions as part of the necessary public health response, passenger demand for SPSV services has fallen radically and many SPSV operators have stopped working. The NTA has therefore taken action to reduce the immediate financial burden on SPSV operators and to make it easier for them to return to the industry when circumstances change.
The NTA has extended licences expiring before 12 June 2020 by three months, waived late licence renewal fees, and temporarily relaxed rules around vehicle age limits. The NTA has also engaged with the insurance industry to facilitate a suspension of SPSV insurance for those SPSV operators who decide to temporarily stop working and suspend their licences. Operators who suspend their licences will be able to either reduce their monthly premium or receive a refund from their insurer, depending on their individual arrangements with their insurer.
Finally, the transfer of SPSV licences, as suggested by the Deputy, is prohibited under section 14(1) of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
1096. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a scheme will be established to financially support taxi drivers to install partitions in their taxis to protect their health and that of their passengers or possibly charge the NTA with installing such partitions in all taxis; if disinfecting and cleaning bays with sanitiser and disinfectant sprays will be established in towns and cities to ensure drivers can disinfect regularly in view of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7019/20]
View answerThe National Transport Authority, as the regulatory body for the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, has published information for the SPSV industry which includes guidelines, based on the latest available public health advice, on how to keep vehicles clean to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This document is available on the NTA's website.
I have also referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
1097. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if drivers and passengers with Bus Éireann will be kept safe as the restrictions are relaxed over the next weeks; if protective screens will be put in place between the driver and passengers on all buses; if a system of payment will be put in place that does not involve the exchange of money between driver and passenger; if the mobile cleaning units promised on 27 March 2020 will be established to ensure all buses are regularly disinfected; if a cleaning regime for all depots will be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7020/20]
View answerThe Government has been clear that continued operation of the public transport sector is important, and it has been designated among the essential services that are to carry on. I would like to thank operators and staff for their continued dedication to providing this vital service in such challenging times.
A number of measures have been introduced across the system, guided by public health advice, to ensure the continued operation of services during the pandemic, including enhanced cleaning regimes and social distancing measures across the network. My Department is engaging directly with the National Transport Authority (NTA) in relation to these measures and the NTA is coordinating the response of public transport operators, including Bus Éireann.
Accordingly, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
1098. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount spent on external consultants by his Department in 2019; the average hourly rate; if caps or limits on such spending are in place; the way in which conflicts of interest are managed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7288/20]
View answerThe Department had published details of expenditure on all on external services (including consultancy) for the period 2013-2018 on its website. Details of expenditure on external services (including consultancy) for 2019 is attached (see Professional Services) in the following link.
The OGP Public Procurement Guidelines (January 2019) (https://ogp.gov.ie/public-procurement-guidelines-for-goods-and-services/)) set out best practice in relation to public procurement rules regarding the purchase of goods and services including the current procurement thresholds and the measures in place to address conflicts of interest.
1099. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will clarify, following the publication of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, guidelines on Covid-19 for registered and non-registered childminders who care for children in the children's own homes and in which phase this activity can recommence. [5590/20]
View answer1100. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will clarify, following the publication of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, guidelines on to Covid-19 for registered and non-registered childminders who care for children in their own homes and in which phase this activity can recommence. [5591/20]
View answer1101. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will clarify, following the publication of the Roadmap for Reopening of Society and Business, guidelines on to Covid-19 for registered and non-registered childminders who care for the children of healthcare workers and in which phase of the plan this activity can recommence. [5592/20]
View answer1102. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will clarify, following the publication of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, guidelines on to Covid-19 for registered and non-registered childminders whocare for the children of essential workers and in which phase of the plan this activity can recommence. [5593/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1099 to 1102, inclusive, together.
As per HSE guidance and in accordance with the regulations under the Health (Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2000, childminders who care for the children of essential workers in the children's home were permitted to continue working after childcare facilities were closed on 12 March, and are themselves considered essential workers.
The HSE guidance specifies that at present childminding should not take place in the carer’s home, in order to avoid households mixing.
My Department is continuing to progress readiness measures in preparation of a phased reopening of early learning and care and school-age facilities, including registered and non-registered childminders, in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.
Phase 3 of the Roadmap, which is currently scheduled to begin on 29 June, provides for the opening of childminders (along with the opening of creches and preschools) for essential workers, in a phased manner. Guidance, cleared by Public Health experts, will be issued by my Department over the coming weeks.
1103. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the provision of childcare facilities for front-line HSE staff. [6472/20]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, I announced on 13 May that the Temporary Childcare Scheme for Essential Health Workers, which was to deliver home based childcare to healthcare workers, would not proceed from 18 May as planned. Unfortunately, uptake for the scheme among early learning and care and school aged care providers was much lower than expected, and so the scheme had to be cancelled.
In commenting on the reasons for low take-up of the scheme by childcare providers, childcare provider organisations have referred to the lack of insurance cover for Covid-19 related claims which could be taken against them; to concerns about the difficulty of supporting staff remotely and lack of control of the environment in which their staff would be working; and the inability to provide staff with fixed lunch and rest breaks without any ongoing responsibility for the care of children.
I acknowledge that there were indeed challenges to the scheme from the beginning, however, my Department, refusing to take a risk averse position in unprecedented times, worked hard to make a scheme available. I believe that discussions about this scheme has assisted services, staff and my Department to focus on the obstacles that need to be addressed to facilitate services beginning a phased reopening from 29 June.
Since the cancellation of the scheme, there has been progress with regard to insurance. The primary insurer in the childcare sector has agreed that Covid-19 related claims will not be excluded from policies for services which reopen from 29 June. In terms of addressing the public health fears of the sector, the opening of other sectors on 18 May, and recent research suggesting that children may play only a minor role in spreading the virus, should help to reduce childcare practitioners’ fears.
1104. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department has engaged the use of external consultants from 1 January 2020 to date; the details and costs of such engagements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5524/20]
View answerThe list of engagements with external consultants on projects which commenced since 1 January 2020 to date are outlined in the following table. Only work which cost more than €500 (excluding VAT) are listed.
|
|
Details |
Name of external Consultant |
Cost € (excluding VAT) |
|
1 |
eDocs - Document Management System |
Storm Technology Limited |
33,660 |
|
2 |
Report writer for consultation with young people on parenting supports |
Sandra Roe Research |
2,500 |
|
3 |
Parents Centre Creative Assets and Parents Centre Media Buying |
Mindshare |
34,940 |
|
4 |
Contract for the provision of specialist expertise for the co-ordination and management of What Works (formerly Quality and Capacity Building Initiative) |
Centre for Effective Services |
25,020 |
|
5 |
Scoping Review of Literature: Best international practices in linking administrative and longitudinal study data, aka Growing Up in Ireland Pathfinder Project |
Sinead Hanafin |
12,166 |
|
6 |
Procurement advice |
BID Services |
4,385 |
|
7 |
Valuation of land at Oberstown Campus |
Elliot & Fitzgerald |
1,000 |
|
8 |
Climate Youth Justice Fund Video and Web development pages (Resources for Parents) |
KICK Communications |
17,895 |
|
9 |
Review of Scouting Ireland |
Brigid McManus |
4,800 |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
136,366 |
1105. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the guidelines on childminders reopening following this period of closure will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5556/20]
View answerMy Department is continuing to progress readiness measures in preparation of phased reopening of early learning and care and school-age facilities, including childminders, in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.
Phase 3 of the Roadmap, which is currently scheduled to begin on 29 June, provides for the opening of childminders (along with the opening of creches and preschools) for essential workers, in a phased manner. Guidance, cleared by Public Health experts, will be issued by my Department over the coming weeks.
