Written Answers Nos. 309-327
309. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if he will accede to the request for a meeting made jointly by groups (details supplied) to discuss their body of work to stimulate aviation and support regional airports. [18358/21]
View answer310. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport if he will meet with a group (details supplied) to discuss its proposals for a funding strategy for the region and in particular Shannon Airport. [18374/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 310 together.
I would like to thank the Deputies for their questions in relation to a request for a meeting from Shannon Chamber in connection with a report the Chamber, in collaboration with the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) and supported by Ennis, Limerick and Galway Chambers, has prepared, on Regional Air Access Recovery and Growth.
My Ministerial colleague, Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton, has agreed to meet with Shannon Chamber on this matter, and her office will be in touch to make the necessary arrangements.
311. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Transport if the recently published Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 - Our Rural Future includes additional funding for regional and local road repairs in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18381/21]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads 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 local authorities' own resources supplemented by State road grants.
The recently published 'Our Rural Future - Rural Development Policy 2021-2025' makes reference to the commitment in the Programme for Government that 'essential road and public transport maintenance and upkeep budgets will be fully protected to ensure continued public safety and connectivity'.
As regards Exchequer support for the maintenance and renewal of the regional and local public roads network, including the network in Wexford, the regional and local road grant programmes operated by my Department are the primary source of funding. The National Development Plan (NDP), as it stands, provides for a gradual increase in funding for regional and local roads. While funding is not yet at the level needed for the adequate maintenance and renewal of regional and local roads there has been a significant increase in Exchequer funding particularly in the last four years. Funding is allocated to local authorities under the main grant programmes on the basis of the length of the network in each area with some allowance for traffic factors.
Local authorities were notified of the Department's regional and local road allocations for 2021 on 15th February this year. Wexford County Council has received a total allocation of €18,569,130 to date which is an increase of 29% when compared to 2019. Further allocations are proposed specifically for climate adaptation works on regional and local roads with a view to making the network more resilient. Applications have been received from local authorities, including Wexford County Council, and once assessed a further round of allocations will be made.
312. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Transport the status of the commitment to develop a subsidised local area hackney service as listed in the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 - Our Rural Future plan; if he will provide clarity on the timeline envisaged to develop such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18400/21]
View answerThe Deputy may wish to be aware that the regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including the issuance of Local Area Hackney licences and the operation of the planned subsidised Local Area Hackney pilot scheme, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
In light of the NTA's responsibilities in this matter, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
313. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost of providing an hourly bus service to every population centre in the State with a population of over 300 persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18426/21]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I am not involved in the operations of public transport.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling of these services. 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.
314. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport the financial supports available to private coach and bus operators that do not have a premises and do not pay commercial rates to their local council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18440/21]
View answerBoth the National Transport Authority (NTA) and my Department have been engaging directly with commercial bus operators throughout the Covid-19 Emergency. The public transport system in Ireland has played an essential service role over the course of the pandemic, especially in carrying essential workers and others making necessary journeys.
Several targeted Government Decisions made throughout the crisis, in addition to general supports such as the wage subsidy scheme, have provided much needed support to the sector, particularly the decisions to:
- substantially increase the 2020 budget for the existing PSO system;
- introduce temporary financial support for certain licensed public transport services provided by commercial bus operators (CBOs) for an initial period of 6-months;
- provide a higher-than-normal provision for PSO funding in the 2021 budget due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on the public transport sector; and
- extend the provision of temporary funding supports for the CBOs for a further 3 months, with the option to extend monthly thereafter subject to engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Prior to the Covid-19 health emergency, licensed operators operated non-subvented, scheduled public bus services on a commercial basis. However, due to the impact of Covid-19 on passenger numbers and the associated drop in fare revenue, these services were no longer commercially viable. In response, on 25 June 2020 the Government decided to introduce new temporary financial support for certain licensed services provided by commercial bus operators to ensure the continued operation of these essential services. These temporary supports were initially introduced for a period of 6-months, with a view to protecting capacity across the public transport sector throughout the crisis. The NTA on behalf of my Department, has entered into contracts with the licensed bus sector to provide funding for routes where a clear public interest justification supports such intervention.
As it remains the case that commercial bus operators are still under severe financial distress due to the fall in passenger numbers and associated drop in fare revenue as a result of Covid-19, on 26 January 2021, Government decided to extend the temporary funding supports to the licensed bus sector for a further period of 3 months, with an option to extend contracts on a monthly basis thereafter.
Further, as part of the July stimulus package, and in response to the challenges being experienced by the Coach Tourism sector, the Government provided €10m to fund the Coach Tourism Business Continuity Scheme. The scheme which is being administered by Fáilte Ireland is under the remit of my colleague, Catherine Martin, Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht.
The above supports are in addition to the suite of other financial support measures that the Government has introduced to help mitigate the impact of Covid-19, which includes the Wage Subsidy Scheme extended through 2021, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment extended to end June 2021, the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help to improve cashflow.
Furthermore, on 11 March 2021, the Minister for Business, Trade and Employment announced that applications are now open for Phase 1 of the Small Business Assistance Scheme (SBASC). The aim of this new €60m business assistance scheme is to provide grants to businesses ineligible for the Government’s other existing schemes such as CRSS and is designed to help with fixed costs. Further details of this scheme and other business supports are available at www.enterprise.gov.ie .
Businesses may also wish to contact their Local Enterprise Office who can advise of supports that may be available.
315. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Transport if zebra crossings can be installed without Belisha beacons as currently installed at the junction of Church Street, Market Street and Seaview Road, Clifden, Connemara, Galway. [18461/21]
View answerThe Road Traffic (Signs) Amendment Regulations 2012 specify that a zebra pedestrian crossing be marked at either end by beacons emitting flashes of yellow light at regular intervals.
The purpose of these flashing beacons is to give motorists advance warning that they are approaching a pedestrian crossing, particularly during hours of darkness. Motorists, having been thus alerted, reduce their speed accordingly, allowing the vulnerable road users to cross more safely than if the beacon had not been there.
My Department is currently reviewing the use of unilluminated zebra crossings in other jurisdictions and I will consider that work in the near future.
316. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered postponing, deferring or altering the delivery method of CPC courses for lorry, coach and bus drivers in view of Covid-19 restrictions; his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18485/21]
View answerA further extension to the expiry dates of driver CPC qualifying cards and the time limits for the completion of periodic training has been introduced in response to the continued disruption caused by Covid-19 in Ireland and across the EU.
The extension applies to different groups of card holders including those who benefited from extensions in 2020.
- Any CPC holder, who has not already renewed, and whose CPC card expired between 1 February 2020 and 31 May 2020 will have a new expiry date of 1 July 2021.
- Any CPC holder, who has not already renewed, and whose CPC card expired between 1 June 2020 and 31 August 2020 will have thirteen months (which includes the previous extension) added to their expiry date. By way of example a CPC card which expired on 31 August 2020 will have a new expiry date of 30 September 2021.
- Any CPC holder, who has not already renewed and whose CPC card expiry date is between 1 September 2020 and 30 June 2021 will have an extra ten months added to their expiry date. By way of example a CPC card which expires on 30 June 2021 will have a new expiry date of 30 April 2022.
Currently, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) does not facilitate on-line Driver CPC training. EU Directive 2003/59/EC which introduced Driver CPC was updated in 2018 by EU Directive 645 of 2018, and while the amended directive allows for the use of ICT tools such as e-learning and blended learning as part of CPC training, a substantial amount of the training will be required to be completed in an approved Driver CPC training centre.
The RSA believes that delivering some part of the training online is the way forward and it is their intention to consult with the industry, including all Driver CPC training organisations to establish how training can be enhanced and improved within the scope of the opportunities provided for in the EU legislation. It is hoped that this review will start in 2021.
317. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider providing an online test option for the significant backlog of persons waiting to do their driver theory test given the current public health restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18589/21]
View answerThe extension of Covid-19 level 5 restrictions by Government means that the Driver Theory Test continues to be suspended. While I fully appreciate the inconvenience this poses, I must emphasise, that this decision has been taken in line with official public health recommendations that everyone in Ireland work to limit the spread of the virus by staying at home in so far as is possible and minimising social contacts.
Officials both in this Department and in the Road Safety Authority are keeping the public health situation under constant review and are working extremely hard to ensure that Theory Tests can resume as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the meantime, t he RSA is engaging with its service provider to examine ways of increasing the number of tests within the current health constraints for when services resume. In this regard, the aim is to double capacity at test centres over a three-month period.
Normal capacity before the pandemic was approximately 15,000 tests per month. When the service reopened in June 2020, this was increased to 25,000 to deal with the backlog which had developed by that point. Based on the capacity of 25,000 tests per month, the aim is to provide an additional 25,000 tests per month on top of this for the first 3 months of reopening, or a total of 75,000 extra test appointments over the three-month period. This would make substantial inroads into numbers waiting over that time period.
In addition to the increased capacity initiative, the RSA is working to deliver an online driver theory test service. The online service has been trialled on a pilot basis for those taking a theory test for trucks and buses and is now being evaluated with a view to extending the online service to all test types during 2021 However, scaling up operations to facilitate higher numbers will take time to achieve.
318. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider revising the taxi drivers test to accommodate older drivers who are not computer literate. [18606/21]
View answerThe Deputy may wish to be aware that the SPSV driver entry test, including the syllabus of the test and the manner of its delivery, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
Given the role of the NTA as regulator, I have referred your question to the Authority for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
319. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Transport the details of all available grant funding towards feasibility studies for greenways; and when each grant opens for applications. [18640/21]
View answerIn 2020 €4.5 million was provided to Local Authorities for a variety of pre-construction phases, including feasibility studies, for 26 National and Regional Greenway projects under the Carbon Tax Fund. This funding will ensure that we have a pipeline of Greenway projects ready to progress to the next phase, such as planning applications or route option phases or environmental screening when funding is next available.
I would expect to be in a position to announce further funding support to those projects, projects that are seeking construction support and projects that require support for feasibility studies later this year or perhaps early in 2022 - that will depend on progress of the currently funded projects that have been impacted by the pandemic.
Our funding will be routed through Local Authorities and State Agencies, we do not fund community groups to develop this type of work. I would urge local authorities who are considering an application for feasibility funding to engage now with local communities and landowners in advance of any application as evidence of such engagement will assist their application.
320. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Transport if the situation will be clarified regarding persons that are awaiting driver tests for urgent work related issues; the way these applicants can be accommodated in the current Covid-19 context; if he will address the way this cohort can reach the required number of driving lessons from an approved driving instructor before being eligible to apply for a driver licence in such circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18662/21]
View answerBy law, the RSA can only test essential workers while we remain in level 5, and there is a defined list set out by Government as to who constitutes an essential worker. Tests will not be conducted for non- essential workers while we remain in level 5. No exceptions can be made.
RSA driver testers are undertaking driving tests in extraordinarily difficult conditions in the current Covid-19 environment. The driving test is conducted in an enclosed space for a period of over 15 minutes, where physical distancing is not possible.
I understand that anyone looking for an urgent driving test appointment who is an essential worker can apply to book a driving test at www.myroadsafety.ie. If there is no available slot and they have made an application, they can ask to be prioritised by accessing https://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Learner-Drivers/The-Driving-Test/Request-an-urgent-driving-test/and providing the relevant details. I have been informed by the RSA that, as tests are only available to essential workers, there is now surplus capacity. For that reason, the RSA is able to offer test slots to essential workers who have completed the required lessons, almost on demand.
Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) may continue to provide lessons, but only in such circumstances where the learner in question has already been scheduled a test date. While the Department is fully aware of the difficulties that the current suspension of Essential Driving Training (EDT) poses for essential workers who have not yet completed their 12 mandatory lessons, it must be emphasised that this decision has been taken in line with NPHET recommendations that everyone in Ireland work to limit the spread of the virus by staying at home and minimising social contacts in so far as is possible.
Officials both in the Department and in the Road Safety Authority are keeping the public health situation under constant review and are working extremely hard to ensure that EDT and driving tests for all candidates can resume as soon as it is safe to do so.
321. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on efforts to develop a recovery plan for the aviation industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18669/21]
View answerThe Government is fully alert to the devastating impact of the global pandemic on international travel and values the critical role that aviation plays in the Irish economy. It is expected that it may be some time before it is possible to permit a large-scale return to air travel, but we remain committed to ensuring that the aviation sector can maintain the necessary core capability to retain strategic connectivity, and to quickly rebound when circumstances allow.
Getting international travel back up and running is vital for the continued economic well-being of the country and remains a priority for the Government; however, this can only be done by taking public health considerations into account, and at a time that is safe to do so.
On 5 March 2021, I chaired a special meeting of the Steering Committee of the National Civil Aviation Development Forum. The NCADF, which was established through a recommendation of the National Aviation Policy in 2016, brings together senior stakeholders in the aviation industry, mostly at chief executive level. The meeting provided an opportunity for very constructive engagement with members of the Committee, together with some other senior leaders from Irish aviation. It is clear from my engagement with the aviation sector that the priority issue for all those involved in the industry is for planning to progress, as a matter of urgency, on the reopening of international travel as soon as circumstances allow.
A sub-group of the NCADF, specifically tasked with developing an Aviation Restart Plan at the meeting on 5 March, recently submitted a report with proposals that they believe will best provide for the restart and recovery of the aviation sector in Ireland. I will review their report and its proposals carefully and engage with the Department of Health and any other relevant Departments.
We look forward to progressing our engagement with the aviation sector and to working together to get international connectivity back on a strong footing, once public health conditions allow.
325. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the number of State-owned vehicles; the number of these that are hybrid and fully electric vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18684/21]
View answerAccording to latest figures from the National Driver and Vehicle File, the number of vehicles registered as state owned as of 31st March 2021 is as follows;
|
FUEL TYPE |
NUMBER OF VEHICLES |
|
FUEL TYPE |
NUMBER OF VEHICLES |
|
DIESEL |
1,697 |
|
ELECTRIC |
12 |
|
ETHANOL/PETROL |
1 |
|
PETROL |
77 |
|
PETROL/ELECTRIC |
4 |
|
PETROL/PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC |
2 |
|
TOTAL |
1,793 |
It should be noted that not all public sector vehicle’s have an owner category of “state owned”.
Providing a sustainable, low-carbon transport system is a key priority of my Department. The Programme for Government commits to 7% average annual emissions reduction to 2030; ultimately, the goal is for a zero-emission mobility system by 2050. The transport sector, which accounts for about 20% of Ireland’s overall carbon emissions, must play a central role in the national decarbonisation effort. The national car and van (LGV) fleet accounts for almost 60% of all land transport emissions, and so a transition to low emissions vehicles, including EVs, is a necessary step-change to effect a substantial reduction in transport emissions.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are the most prominent transport mitigation measure in the 2019 Climate Action Plan, and Ireland has set an ambitious target of 936,000 EVs on our roads by 2030. This target is challenging but indicates the scale of the transformation that is needed across all sectors if Ireland is to achieve its climate targets in the coming years. The Government, supported by the work of the Low Emission Vehicle Taskforce, has worked to ensure that conditions and policies are in place to support citizens in making greener vehicle choices. A comprehensive suite of measures is available to EV drivers, including purchase grants for private car owners and taxi drivers, VRT relief, reduced tolls, home charger grants, favourable motor and BIK tax rates, as well as a comprehensive charging network. These measures have collectively contributed to increased take up of EVs in Ireland in recent years, albeit from a low base.
To expedite the deployment of low emitting vehicles, an inter-Departmental Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) Taskforce was jointly established by my two Departments in 2018 to consider a full suite of potential measures available to Government. Phase 1 of the Taskforce concentrated on EVs; as part of this work, the important leadership role that Public Bodies and Government Departments can play in encouraging LEV uptake was considered. The Taskforce recommended the introduction of a new public procurement framework for EVs by 2020 and this recommendation was echoed in the Climate Action Plan where Action 149 was to "enable the deployment of electric vehicles in public sector fleets".
The Office of Government Procurement has drawn up fixed price procurement frameworks for the supply of long and medium range battery electric passenger cars and vans to public sector bodies.
Full details on how to use the framework as well as pricing and supplier contact details can be found on the www.ogp.gov.ie website.
As battery and recharging technologies develop and a greater range of vehicles become commercially available I expect an increasing number of public bodies to transition to EVs, with the lowest emitting vehicles being favoured where feasible.
326. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Transport the number of private aircraft flying into Ireland each week; the number of persons entering the country in private aircraft each week; and the quarantine measures in place in relation to private flights into Ireland. [18722/21]
View answerThe aviation statistics which are published on the government website are in relation to passenger numbers arriving through the State and Regional Airports.
The statistics do not differentiate between private aircraft and/or commercial aircraft.
The Border Management Unit (BMU) in the Department of Justice is operationally responsible for immigration duties at Dublin Airport and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) is operationally responsible for immigration duties at all other ports and airports in the State.
The Government continues to advise against non-essential international travel and that any essential travel is undertaken with due regard to the public health safety measures that are in place. Public health measures concerning international travel such as quarantine at a designated facility or testing apply to all persons arriving in the State and do not differentiate between arrival by private aircraft or large commercial aircraft.
327. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport the person or body that made the decision not to impose penalties under the European Union (Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions, Calculation Methods and Reporting Requirements) Regulations 2017 (as amended) with respect to 2020 (details supplied); the reason the decision was taken; the person or body to whom the decision was communicated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18734/21]
View answerArticle 7a of the Fuel Quality Directive placed an onus on transport fuel suppliers to achieve at least a 6 percent reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions in fuel and energy placed on the market by the end of 2020 and in subsequent years, compared to a 2010 baseline.
This requirement was transposed into Irish law by the European Union (Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions, Calculation Methods and Reporting Requirements) Regulations 2017 (SI 160 of 2017 ). In line with decisions taken in 2019 at EU level, SI 160 of 2017 was amended by S.I. No. 670/2020 (European Union (Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions, Calculation Methods and Reporting Requirements) (Amendment) Regulations 2020) to ensure the 6% reduction requirement continues past 2020.
Under these regulations, the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) is designated as the competent body responsible for implementation of Article 7a. The Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) and the Renewable Energy Directive are currently being reviewed at EU level in terms of aligning transport energy targets with the European Green Deal. With these reviews on-going and given that compliance under the FQD will continue beyond 2020 a decision was taken by the statutory competent body not to impose penalties under the regulations with respect to 2020.
My Department will continue to assess and review policy and legislative requirements within the context of the on-going reviews at EU level so as to ensure we can continue to maximise our decarbonisation efforts for the transport fuel sector. In this regard it should be noted that compliance under our existing regulations will continue to be a matter for the designated competent body.
