Pearse Doherty
Question:162. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport if a driver test can be expedited for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42864/21]
View answerDriver Test
Questions (162)
Written answers
Under legislation, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the body responsible for the operation of the Driver Test.
Individual cases are a matter for the RSA and I do not have any role in this process.
This question is therefore being referred to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
Electric Vehicles
Questions (163)
Jennifer Whitmore
Question:163. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport the number and value of electric vehicle grants provided over the past five years by hybrid and fully electric, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42877/21]
View answerWritten answers
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 national car and van 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.
An overview of the number and value of EV grants provided over the past five years by hybrid and fully electric is set out in the following table:
|
- |
BEV |
BEV |
PHEV |
PHEV |
Yearly Total (BEV + PHEV) |
Yearly Total (BEV + PHEV) |
Actual Spend |
|
|
Number |
Value |
Number |
Value |
Number |
Value |
|
|
2016 |
353 |
€1,711,000 |
278 |
€1,294,000 |
631 |
€3,005,000 |
€3,038,800 |
|
2017 |
626 |
€2,980,000 |
358 |
€1,653,200 |
984 |
€4,633,200 |
€4,262,000 |
|
2018 |
1907 |
€8,577,400 |
879 |
€4,191,000 |
2786 |
€12,768,400 |
€9,133,600 |
|
2019 |
3318 |
€14,791,200 |
1410 |
€6,810,000 |
4728 |
€21,601,200 |
€20,833,800 |
|
2020 |
2654 |
€12,901,600 |
2231 |
€11,007,400 |
4885 |
€23,909,000 |
€23,511,800 |
|
2021 |
3372 |
€16,153,200 |
4356 |
€20,971,800 |
7728 |
€37,125,000 |
€42,531,400 |
|
Total |
12230 |
€57,114,400 |
9512 |
€45,927,400 |
21,742 |
€103,041,800 |
€103,311,400 |
It should be noted that the numbers and values for 2021 are correct as of 31/08/2021.
In addition, the EV Purchase Grant Scheme has recently been updated to support the most efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles on the market. Support in the form of government funding is being refocused to prioritise battery electric cars. Grants for these EVs continue at a rate of €5000. From the 1st of July 2021, the value of the purchase grant for PHEVs changed from €5,000 to €2,500. It is likely that the signalling of this change contributed to an increase in PHEV applications in the first half of this year which is reflected in the above table.
The SEAI grant scheme aims to encourage behavioural change and support the Government’s commitment to achieving a 51% reduction in transport emissions by 2030. The grant schemes are kept under continuous review to ensure that they are as effective as possible in driving the decarbonisation effort. The update to the scheme is in line with the wider policy approach being taken by other EU Member States due to the increasing recognition that PHEV emissions in the ‘real world’ are often higher than ‘official’ emission levels.
Telecommunications Services
Questions (164)
Alan Farrell
Question:164. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Transport the measures being taken to address the recent increase in the number of scam phone calls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42892/21]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that issues relating to scam calls do not fall under the remit of the Department of Transport.
I understand that this is an operational matter for private telecommunication companies and the Communications Regulator, ComReg.
Question No. 165 answered with Question No. 157.
Government Communications
Questions (166)
Gary Gannon
Question:166. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport if his Ministerial phones have been hacked or attempted to be hacked during the term of office.. [42935/21]
View answerWritten answers
Neither I, nor my Departmental officials, are aware of any occasion during my term in office where my Ministerial phones have been hacked, or of any instance of an attempted hack.
Government Communications
Questions (167)
Gary Gannon
Question:167. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport if he has ever used his personal phones for Government business; and if so, if the personal phones have been hacked during his term of office. [42953/21]
View answerWritten answers
In addition to my Ministerial work phone, I can confirm that I have used my personal phone for Government business. My personal phone is equipped with a secure work container, which was installed on the device by my Department’s IT team, providing me with access to my Departmental emails and Ministerial calendar.
Neither I nor my Departmental officials are aware of any occasion during my term in office where my personal phone has been hacked, or of any instance of an attempted hack.
Freedom of Information
Questions (168)
Matt Carthy
Question:168. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Transport the number of freedom of information requests responded to by his Department in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021; the number of responses that included documents related to text messages and other phone message communications such as messages sent through an application (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42975/21]
View answerWritten answers
Access to information helps the public to understand decisions made and allows public debate to be better informed and more productive. The Freedom of Information process, supported by the relevant legislation, is a key part of this and is a priority for my Department.
The Department has responded to 2,033 FOI requests from 2016 to date. The year-by-year breakdown is set out in the below table:
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 to date |
|
302 |
344 |
390 |
511 |
324 |
162 |
While my department does not keep a separate record of how many requests would have telephonic or mobile application records, I can confirm that FOI Decision Makers are aware and clear that this type of information is to be fully considered in terms of FOI requests received.
Road Safety Authority
Questions (169)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:169. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the treatment of lorry drivers by the RSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42983/21]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 (Conferral of Functions) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 477 of 2006), the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has responsibility for the operation, oversight, development, quality assurance and delivery of commercial vehicle roadworthiness testing arrangements.
The RSA carries out bilateral roadside inspections in conjunction with An Garda Síochána (AGS). Multiagency roadside operations are normally RSA, AGS, Customs (Revenue), Health & Safety Authority (HSA) and Social Protection. The RSA do not carry out roadside operations unless AGS are present. Questions in relation to Garda operations should be addressed to my colleague the Minister for Justice.
As the RSA are the responsible body, I have forwarded this question to them for direct reply to the Deputy in relation to their role. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.
Commissions of Investigation
Questions (170)
David Cullinane
Question:170. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Transport the cost of each commission of investigation under the remit of his Department over the preceding decade. [43000/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 provides for the establishment of Commissions of Investigation which can investigate matters of significant public concern.
While the Department undertakes certain investigations as part of its various functions and responsibilities, no Commissions of Investigation under the Act of 2004 have been established under the remit of my Department over the last decade and no costs have been incurred.
Ministerial Appointments
Questions (171)
Réada Cronin
Question:171. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Transport the number of formal and informal roles held by a person (details supplied) in the name of his Department or associated agency in the lifetime of this Government; when they were appointed to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43045/21]
View answerWritten answers
The person in question has not held any roles, formal or informal, in the name of my Department in the lifetime of this Government.
I have referred your question to the agencies under the aegis of my Department for direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
Public Transport
Questions (172)
James Lawless
Question:172. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the details in relation to tax saver commuter cards for part-time workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43046/21]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport, nor decisions on fares.
Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority (NTA) in December 2009, the NTA has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services, provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.
In relation to the possible introduction of alternative tax saver commuter ticket options following the Covid pandemic, the NTA is currently evaluating such a proposal and my Department recently commenced discussions with the NTA and the Department of Finance. The NTA is proceeding with the detailed technical work associated with introduction of a more flexible Taxsaver product, whilst discussions with the Department of Finance continue.
Road Safety
Questions (173)
Brendan Griffin
Question:173. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport if advice will be provided on a matter in relation to certification for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43047/21]
View answerWritten answers
This 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.
Government Communications
Questions (174)
Catherine Murphy
Question:174. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he and or his special advisors and or officials use or have used services (details supplied) to communicate in the past 18 months. [43081/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department does not subscribe to either of the specified services and no official internal communication takes place on these applications.
However, I confirm that accounts with both services were created on my behalf, to facilitate Green Party rather than Departmental business. The use of one of the specified services pre-dates my appointment as Minister, and I have not used the application for any Department or Government business since my appointment. I can also confirm advisers have used these services for Green Party business.
Question No. 175 answered with Question No. 130.