Written Answers Nos. 162-181
162. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the number of vacant desk spaces available in accommodation allocated to his Department in Civil Service accommodation outside Dublin city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22475/20]
View answerAt present there are seventeen available desks in my Department's offices in Cavan and Wexford. These desks would be regularly used as "hot desks " by internal staff or members of other public bodies when they visit these offices.
At present the majority of staff in my Department continue to work from home in accordance with Government guidelines on dealing with the COVID 19 pandemic. This is being kept under review in line with any development of those guidelines.
163. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks if he will provide a schedule of advisers, special advisers and seconded civil servants working in his Department appointed and or recruited and or in an acting capacity; the roles and responsibilities attributed to each; and the salary scale for each role in tabular form. [22523/20]
View answerOn the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The appointment of Special Advisers is subject to section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil, which incorporate the principles of section 11 of the PMSA Act, have recently been approved by Government.
The appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the terms set out in the aforementioned guidelines, although the appointments are also subject to formal Government approval. At this stage, no Special Advisers have been formally appointed to my Department by the Government.
However, the Deputy may wish to note that I have assigned three Special Advisers and Minister Naughton has assigned two Special Advisers, each of which will be formally appointed by the Government now that the Guidelines have been approved.
As part of the formal appointment process the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform must be notified of the rate of salary to be paid in all cases for Special Advisers; these rates will then be published on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
164. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Climate Action and Communication Networks the number of special advisers that will be hired by his Department. [22778/20]
View answerOn the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The appointment of Special Advisers is subject to section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil, which incorporate the principles of section 11 of the PMSA Act, have recently been approved by Government.
The appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the terms set out in the aforementioned guidelines, although the appointments are also subject to formal Government approval. At this stage, no Special Advisers have been formally appointed to my Department by the Government.
However, the Deputy may wish to note that I have assigned three Special Advisers and Minister Naughton has assigned two Special Advisers, each of which will be formally appointed by the Government now that the Guidelines have been approved.
165. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Transport the number of Secretaries General of all Departments who sit on the boards of national sporting bodies; and his views on such appointments. [19793/20]
View answerMy Department does not hold the information requested by the Deputy.
I have no role in relation to appointments to the Boards of the National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs). This is a matter for the NGBs themselves. NGBs are independent, autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own governance procedures.
166. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Transport the legislation planned for the use of motorised scooters in public roads and spaces; his plans to make changes to legislation in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21121/20]
View answerI assume that the Deputy is referring to so-called "e-scooters" and similar Powered Personal Transport (PPT) devices, rather than the light two-wheeled power vehicles commonly referred to as scooters or mopeds, the use of which is legal within an existing comprehensive framework of driver and vehicle legislation.
I intend to legislate for eScooters in accordance with the Programme for Government. This will involve identifying and developing appropriate amendments to primary legislation across a range of complex areas, as with any other class of vehicle on our roads, for the safety and protection of their users and other road users. The work must be carried out in such a way that it does not undermine the overall framework of Road Traffic Law or Road Safety in general. The Government's current legislative priorities are the necessary measures to manage the Covid 19 crisis and to address its social and economic consequences.
In the meantime, the use of e-scooters and other forms of PPT on public roads and in public places remains illegal in accordance with Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1961. They may be used on private land with the landowner's permission.
167. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport if commuter rail fares will be introduced in Mallow, County Cork (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21267/20]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the regulation of fares in relation to public passenger transport services. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
168. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport if local authorities will be compelled to put in place adequate parking facilities for motorcycles and bicycles. [21446/20]
View answerMy preference is to work with local authorities in advancing the objectives of Government and would in any event be restricted as regards my vires in terms of compelling local authorities to act in this manner.
In relation to parking for bicycles I would certainly urge all local authorities to avail of the increased funding this Government will make available to support active travel in the years ahead.
Already this year, as part of the July Stimulus, I made additional monies available through the National Transport Authority (NTA) and my Department's regional and local road maintenance and renewal grant programme to support local authorities' installation of expanded bike parking, whether that in cities, towns and villages or in schools.
Details of projects to be funded the July Stimulus can be found at these links:
https://www.nationaltransport.ie/news/nta-allocates-e55m-to-councils-for-cycling-and-walking-projects-under-july-jobs-stimulus-plan/
and
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/c99a2-jobs-stimulus-funding-for-active-travel-and-climate-change-adaptation-measures/
169. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding funding for a safe walking route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21641/20]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads (RLR) is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from Council's own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
Following consideration of applications received from local authorities I recently announced the grant allocations for Active Travel and Climate Change Adaptation measures under the Government’s July Jobs Stimulus Plan.
Kerry County Council received a total allocation of €1,907,500 under the Active Travel measures. This includes an allocation of €210,000 for a project to improve and widen pedestrian facilities at Rock Road (eastern side), which is the primary access route from large housing developments at Ballydribeen (north of the Killarney By-Pass) to the schools on New Road, Killarney. This project will also improve linkage from the bus park on Rock Road to schools.
170. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport his plans to introduce a scheme or to change the law to ensure that persons who booked airline tickets prior to the Covid-19 outbreak and are now cancelling their travel plans in line with the travel advice relating to non-essential travel will be entitled to a refund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21826/20]
View answer251. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the supports available to families that book holidays in destinations that were not on the green list and that opted not to travel even though the flight went ahead. [22520/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 170 and 251 together.
As things stand in law, air passenger rights are protected by Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004, which covers the rights of passenger in instances of cancellations. However, if a flight goes ahead and a customer either cancels or does not use their ticket, they are not entitled to a refund under EU law.
Evidently the existing consumer protections and legal obligations on airlines and the broader travel sector did not envisage the current circumstances of mass cancellations and stringent travel restrictions. That has, not surprisingly, put the entire system under immense pressure and it is causing real difficulties for people and businesses. I understand that the main Irish airlines have been offering the option to rebook in circumstances where a flight occurs but people are not able to present because of Government advice. That said, I am mindful that the options put forward by airlines may not be workable for customers in all instances.
My colleague the Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton continues to engage with the airlines in respect to consumer rights issues, with calls for the airlines to offer fair and reasonable alternatives to passengers who wish not to travel at this time. The Deputies will appreciate that there is no mechanism to compel airlines to cancel planned flights or to provide specific alternatives to refunds.
171. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport the engagement he has had with LocalLink on providing rural bus services since the outbreak of Covid-19. [21903/20]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. It is the National Transport Authority (NTA) which has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. The NTA also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including management of the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) which operates under the 'Local Link' brand.
Continued operation of the public transport system is important, and it has been designated among the essential services that have carried on throughout the Covid-19 emergency. I would like to thank operators and their 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.
Over the course of the Covid-19 emergency, my Department has been working closely with the NTA to ensure public transport services continue and to plan for the provision of enhanced public transport services, including Local Link, in line with the Government Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. In this context the NTA is engaging directly with transport operators and Local Link offices.
172. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport his views on a matter (details supplied) in relation to the start-up grant being made available to guesthouses and bed and breakfasts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21969/20]
View answerThe changes to the restart grant are particularly welcome for tourism businesses. Thousands more businesses, including B&Bs, will now be eligible for assistance of up to €25,000. This will help defray the high costs incurred when closed for public health reasons.
B&Bs in non-rated premises will be eligible to apply for flat rate of €4,000 grant paid through Fáilte Ireland. A guesthouse is a prescribed term under the Tourist Traffic Acts and therefore unregistered guesthouses do not exist.
The application process for the B&B specific portion of the Restart Grant, which will be administered by Fáilte Ireland, will run in two phases: Phase 1 for Fáilte Ireland approved B&Bs and Phase 2 for unapproved B&Bs.
The launch date for the B&Bs Restart Grant for approved B&Bs is the 14th September 2020 . The date of the launch for unapproved B&Bs is not yet finalised. The process for approved and unapproved B&Bs will not run simultaneously as Fáilte Ireland needs to develop a new robust system of verification for unapproved B&Bs.
173. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Transport the number of bridge and level crossing strikes and Luas and vehicle crashes that occurred in 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020; the number of each that led to a prosecution; and if an anonymised list will be provided of the prosecutions including individuals and companies. [21981/20]
View answerAs the 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 are operational matters for Iarnród Éireann and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to both for direct reply.
Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
174. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Transport if he will make enquiries into the governance procedures followed or not followed as the case may be with regard to the appointment of the independent chairman of an organisation (details supplied) and other matters within his Department and Sport Ireland; if he will then publish a detailed account of these enquiries and precise answers to queries in view of the provision of State financial resources being provided to the organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22034/20]
View answerNeither I nor my predecessor Shane Ross, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, have any function or role in the appointment of the independent chairman or directors of the organisation mentioned by the Deputy. As the Deputy is aware, the recruitment process for the Chair was conducted by AMROP, an independent recruitment company.
Similarly, the appointment of the interim CEO, deputy CEO and the ongoing recruitment process for a permanent CEO are matters for the organisation itself.
The Deputy will be aware that the Memorandum of Understanding signed by my predecessor on 30 January on behalf of the then Government set out the conditions to be accepted by the organisation in order for funding to be restored, including significant governance reforms. I am very pleased that those who attended the organisation's recent EGM voted overwhelmingly in favour of implementing the reforms set out in the MOU, which will also ensure financial viability of the organisation.
175. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if an evaluation has been made with respect to those 3,000-plus employed in the travel agent sector which has been effectively shut down since March 2020; if a specific evaluation has been conducted; if not, if he will arrange to have one conducted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22062/20]
View answer176. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Transport if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding travel centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22064/20]
View answer187. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport his plans to put targeted business supports in place for travel agents which have been severely impacted by the travel restrictions imposed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22466/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 175, 176 and 187 together.
I am aware of the serious difficulties arising for Irish licensed travel agents and tour operators in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the catastrophic collapse of overseas travel and tourism.
The sector continues to benefit from a range of State supports made available for SMEs - including wage subsidies - and the State is also providing a special financial guarantee under a Refund Credit Note scheme for the sector, which makes the credit notes that licensed travel agent and tour operators issue to their customers a very secure proposition. Credits notes to the value of €17m have already been issued to consumers under the scheme – under which their value and validity is guaranteed by the State - and this is money that the industry would otherwise have had to pay back in cash refunds.
I know that businesses in the sector are looking for more, and the Irish Travel Agents Association has made representations on behalf of its members for additional financial supports in the form of top-ups to business support schemes announced in the July Stimulus. These are being considered.
177. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Transport his plans to review or amend the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets during the lifetime of the Thirty-third Dáil to ensure it meets international best practice to protect the rights of persons with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22155/20]
View answerThe Design Manual for Urban Roads and Street was first launched by the then Ministers for Transport, Tourism and Sport and Housing and Planning in 2013. A revision to DMURS, which was issued in August 2019, was overseen by a Steering Committee that included a representative of the National Disability Association (NDA). A number of individual meetings were also held with and further correspondence received from the NDA prior to the issue of the revised document. Based on these interactions with the NDA several amendments were made to the DMURS with regard to the use of materials, kerb heights, use of zebra crossings and references to ‘Building for Everyone, A Universal Design Approach’ published by the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design.
With regard to future review, DMURS has always been viewed as a ‘live’ document, and the website (www.dmurs.ie) was developed to provide an accessible resource for all updates and supplementary material (including advice notes) along with links to key publications and case study material. In this context a working group, consisting of staff from various local authorities together with both Departments, which was formed in 2010 to produce DMURS still meets periodically and has prepared a number of training courses, updates to the document and other supplementary material.
178. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport the designated cycling officers in each local authority; the official contact details of each; the suitable qualification for the role; the form of coordination, communication and reporting that will be carried out between his Department and the cycling officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22190/20]
View answerIn line with the objectives of the National Cycle Policy Framework my Department works closely with local authorities in relation to relevant matters, particularly in relation to cycling promotional activities such as Bike Week. In that regard my Department works with designated officials in all 31 local authorities in co-ordinating activities and allocating funding to support the work of the local authorities in promoting Bike Week and other active travel activities.
The formal designation and/or employment of officials within local authorities is a matter for each individual local authority as the responsible employer and as the Deputy can see there is a network of officials across all local authorities who work with my Department on relevant matters.
However, the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future calls for a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland and commits toward an increased multi-annual budgetary allocation of some €1.8 billion over the lifetime of the Government.
Complementing that increased investment I also wish to see a renewed focus on active travel within local authorities, including the recruitment of suitably qualified active travel officers and offering support to local authorities in the design of active travel infrastructure through the establishment of regional design offices.
I can advise the Deputy that my Department is currently developing proposals to deliver upon these specific commitments, as well as the other commitments contained within the Programme for Government .
179. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport if the details of the commitment to adopt a high-quality cycling policy including assessments of the roads network will be provided by county; and the progress to date in the development of cycle network plans by each local authority. [22191/20]
View answerThe new Programme for Government – Our Shared Future sets out an ambitious and wide-ranging set of commitments in relation to walking and cycling, supported by an increased multi-annual budgetary allocation amounting to some €1.8 billion over the lifetime of the Government.
Included in the above mentioned commitments is the commitment to which the Deputy refers to.
I can advise the Deputy that my Department is currently developing proposals to deliver upon this specific commitment, as well as the other commitments contained within the Programme for Government .
Obviously, in the five major metropolitan areas - Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford - cycle network plans have already been developed and are being updated as required and included in the development of relevant metropolitan area transport strategies.
180. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport if clarification will be provided on limits for indoor and outdoor classes; if the same limits apply, if these classes are held as part of a gym complex as the indoor and outdoor limits for yoga, pilates, ballet and dance classes in view of recent health guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22192/20]
View answerAs the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, Sport Ireland has issued guidance to the sport sector on the practical implications for sport of the most recent restrictions announced on 18 August.
The following points contained in the guidance may be helpful in answering your query:
- Organised Sports training within indoor facilities can do so in multiple pods of 6 once sufficient space is available and strict public health protocols are in place.
- Indoor Exercise & Dance classes should remain at 6 only as per guidance however may operate multiple pods if sufficient space is available and strict public health protocols are in place.
- Total Indoor Gym/Facility/Pool Use can remain at the previous maximum levels of 50 once there is sufficient space available. In addition, facilities should be extra vigilant of potential congestion points such as entrance/exit points, changing rooms and reception areas ensuring that social distancing and other public health measures are maintained at all times.
- Outdoor Exercise & Sports training can do so in multiple pods of 15 once sufficient space is available and strict public health protocols are in place.
The full guidance is available on Sport Ireland's website www.sportireland.ie
181. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Transport the details of funding deadlines for further calls on active travel measures and on climate change adaption measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22230/20]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the Government announced a stimulus package in July of this year and as part of that package I was delighted to announce additional funding to support active travel. All local authorities were invited to apply for this funding.
In addition local authorities funded under my Department’s regional and local road maintenance and renewal grant programme were able to apply for funding in relation to climate change adaptation measures.
Following consideration of applications received, allocations were recently announced and are available to view at:
https://www.nationaltransport.ie/news/nta-allocates-e55m-to-councils-for-cycling-and-walking-projects-under-july-jobs-stimulus-plan/
and
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/c99a2-jobs-stimulus-funding-for-active-travel-and-climate-change-adaptation-measures/
These amounts fully account for the 2020 stimulus funding available to the Department. Stimulus measures are projects designed to be delivered this year and as such it is not intended that there will be any further calls under this year’s Stimulus package. Obviously funding to support active travel projects is available as part of our standard investment programmes and my Department and the National Transport Authority work with local authorities across the country in that regard every year.
