Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:182. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Transport if he has engaged with members of an association (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55555/21]
View answerDepartmental Meetings
Questions (182)
Written answers
In regard to representation within the volunteer cadre of the Coast Guard, the Coastal Unit Advisory Group has been in existence for over 20 years. The Coastal Unit Advisory Group (CUAG) is the dedicated body in place, made up of elected volunteers and full time staff to represent the interests of the Coast Guard volunteers.
I have recently met with the CUAG and I can also confirm my office has been in contact with the ICGVRA. I will continue to engage with all volunteers.
Coast Guard Service
Questions (183)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:183. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Transport the number of members that will be active in the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard for it to be put back on the board and operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55556/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Doolin Coast Guard unit is currently off the board for operational reasons and safety concerns due to internal issues within the unit. Doolin Coast Guard unit is a four function unit – search, cliff, boat and drone. The eventual return of the unit to operation is not solely based on numbers. There are a minimum number of personnel required for the various functions and an on-going requirement for individual certification and operational crews across all functions. On return to full operation status training will resume both on an individual basis and as a unit and a review of competencies and qualifications will be undertaken at that point for each of the four functions.
The key objective is to ensure the safety of the volunteers. The action is being taken in compliance with the SAR Assurance obligations set out in the National SAR Plan. In the meantime, the Coast Guard is deploying various contingencies based on an assessment of risk. All other Coast Guard Units, shoreline and cliff rescue services remain in place, along with the 4 Search and Rescue Coast Guard helicopters. The RNLI, Community Rescue Boats, and Naval services will continue to assist particularly in those areas of greatest risk until the issue has been resolved.
The Irish Coast Guard is committed to supporting the near 900 dedicated volunteers who help provide the important and life-saving services of the IRCG. Ongoing consultation with the Coast Guard volunteers is key to the success of the Coast Guard. For this reason, Coast Guard volunteers have for some time had a representative body called the Coastal Unit Advisory Group. This Group represents Irish Coast Guard volunteers and provides advice and input to the Coast Guard under agreed terms of reference between management and the volunteers. This Group meets regularly and are involved in working with Coast Guard management to deliver a world class service while protecting the safety and wellbeing of the volunteers within the Coast Guard units.
I have met with the Group recently and will continue to engage with all volunteers.
The Irish Coast Guard will continue to offer support to all those affected by this event, and with the aim to strengthen the unit’s management structure, provide relevant training and mediation services as may be required, and return the unit to operational readiness as quickly as practical.
Coast Guard Service
Questions (184)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:184. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Transport the steps that have been taken by his Department to expedite the training of partially trained and incoming members to the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard in order that the unit can recommence its operations as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55557/21]
View answerWritten answers
The temporary standing down of Doolin Coast Guard Unit operations is a proportionate response having regard to ongoing attempts to address the unfortunate differences that have existed within the unit and their impact on the unit. Equally, the recent resignations of several Doolin Coast Guard volunteers have contributed to this decision.
The key objective is to ensure the safety of the volunteers. The action is being taken in compliance with the SAR Assurance obligations set out in the National SAR Plan. In the meantime, the Coast Guard is deploying various contingencies based on an assessment of risk. All other Coast Guard Units, shoreline and cliff rescue services remain in place, along with the 4 Search and Rescue Coast Guard helicopters. The RNLI, Community Rescue Boats, and Naval services will continue to assist particularly in those areas of greatest risk until the issue has been resolved.
The Irish Coast Guard is committed to supporting the near 900 dedicated volunteers who help provide the important and life-saving services of the IRCG. Ongoing consultation with the Coast Guard volunteers is key to the success of the Coast Guard. For this reason, Coast Guard volunteers have for some time had a representative body called the Coastal Unit Advisory Group. This Group represents Irish Coast Guard volunteers and provides advice and input to the Coast Guard under agreed terms of reference between management and the volunteers. This Group meets regularly and are involved in working with Coast Guard management to deliver a world class service while protecting the safety and wellbeing of the volunteers within the Coast Guard units.
I have met with the Group above recently and will continue to engage with all volunteers.
The Irish Coast Guard will continue to offer support to all those affected by this event, and with the aim to strengthen the unit’s management structure, provide relevant training and mediation services as may be required, and return the unit to operational readiness as quickly as practical.
Driver Test
Questions (185)
James Browne
Question:185. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Transport the status of a driving test for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55568/21]
View answerWritten answers
As the Road Safety Authority has direct responsibility for the driving test service, I am passing this query on to the Authority for direct reply.
If the Deputy has not received a response within 10 working days, he should contact my office directly.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
National Transport Authority
Questions (186)
Brendan Griffin
Question:186. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport the extent to which public transport bodies have adopted green hydrogen or are considering its adoption for use in transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55620/21]
View answerWritten answers
As Transport Minister, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development and delivery of certain public transport infrastructure, including the purchase of bus fleet and, in consultation with Iarnród Éireann, the purchase of rolling stock.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
National Transport Authority
Questions (187)
Brendan Griffin
Question:187. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport the status of the National Transport Authority and Bus Éireann hydrogen bus pilot; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55622/21]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of certain public transport infrastructure, including procurement of the publicly subvented bus fleet.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
Bus Services
Questions (188)
Cormac Devlin
Question:188. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Transport the date for the commencement of the new 4B bus route as envisaged in the BusConnects proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55635/21]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including BusConnects.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
Rail Network
Questions (189)
Seán Sherlock
Question:189. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 28 September 2021, if ministerial approval has been given to the project to proceed to a business case. [55697/21]
View answerWritten answers
I refer to the Deputy’s previous question of 28th September 2021 regarding the status of investment in the proposed light rail project in Cork and can confirm that the Strategic Assessment Report remains under review by my Department as required by the Public Spending Code.
Driver Licences
Questions (190)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:190. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55808/21]
View answerWritten answers
The issuing of driving licences is the responsibility of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and as Minister, I have no power to intervene in individual cases.
I have therefore referred this question 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
Driver Licences
Questions (191)
Michael Creed
Question:191. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Transport the criteria applied by his Department with regard to the reciprocal recognition of international driving licences; the reason Ireland does not recognise driving licences from Bermuda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55820/21]
View answerWritten answers
Irish driver licensing law operates within a framework of EU law. It is important to remember that driver licensing law exists to ensure that people licensed to drive on our roads meet high standards of safety. The standards for testing drivers are set at EU level.
All EU driving licences are exchangeable when a person moves from one Member State to another. For non-EU jurisdictions, we may make bilateral agreements on licence exchange. They can be made only when the relevant authorities in each jurisdiction have studied and compared the two licensing regimes, so that each side can be satisfied that they are compatible. On the Irish side, this task is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
Ireland does not have a licence exchange agreement with Bermuda and therefore cannot recognise licences from Bermuda for exchange purposes.
When people come to Ireland with a non-exchange licence, we have no option but to require them to go through the process of obtaining an Irish licence. This is a matter of public safety. While many may have a safe driving record, we have no way of measuring this.
At present, people with a full but non-exchange licence go through the normal driver learning process. However, they must complete 6 Essential Driver Training (EDT) lessons instead of the usual 12 and they do not have to be a learner for the usual minimum of 6 months before taking a driving test.
Bus Services
Questions (192)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Question:192. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to extend to private bus operators the new young adult travel card scheme recently announced as part of budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55840/21]
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.
As part of Budget 2022, I secured €25m of funding to provide for the introduction of a youth travel card (YTC). The YTC will allow any person nationwide who is between 19 and 23 years old to avail of an entitlement for discounted travel costs and to increase the level of discount over and above the current student discount to an average discount of 50% across all services, including city, intercity and rural services.
The NTA have commenced work in relation to the implementation of the new fares structures for young adults. 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.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
Greenways Provision
Questions (193)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:193. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the design, funding and delivery schedule of the Boyne greenway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55868/21]
View answerWritten answers
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to Greenways. The planning, design and construction of individual Greenways is now a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned and it will be vital that any proposed Greenway have the support of the relevant Local Authority as funding is only provided by TII to Local Authorities. This is also subject to the Public Spending Code and the necessary statutory approvals. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you on the status of this project.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 51
Rail Network
Questions (194)
Gerald Nash
Question:194. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Transport the stage at which the DART+ to Drogheda project stands in terms of the appraisal by his Department of the capital project; if he will provide an updated assessment of the overall cost and timeline for completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55572/21]
View answerWritten answers
The DART+ Programme comprises five different, but complementary, projects of which DART+ Coastal North is one. For the Deputy's information, the other four projects are :
- DART+ West;
- DART+ South West;
- DART+ Coastal South; and
- DART+ Fleet .
Naturally there is a sequencing to the delivery of these different projects as each sits within the overall Programme framework and it is also the case that the success of some of the projects depends on the early delivery of other projects.
My Department, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, are currently reviewing the DART+ Preliminary Business Case and I expect to bring that to Government before the end of the year for relevant Decision Gate approvals as required by the Public Spending Code .
Of the five projects, DART+ West and DART+ Fleet are the most advanced and Government approval will allow DART+ West enter the statutory planning system and also allow a contract to be signed in relation to DART+ Fleet.
The Deputy may wish to note that the initial DART+ Fleet order includes provision for battery-electric fleet which will be used on the Northern Line in advance of the electrification of the network under the DART+ Coastal North project. Design consultants have been appointed to the DART+ Coastal North project and next year will see the start of the non-statutory public consultation process in relation to the project, as has been happening this year with DART+ West and DART+ South West.
I can assure the Deputy that Northern Line commuters will see enhanced services and capacity rolled out in the coming years through utilisation of some of the additional 41 rail carriages which will enter into service in 2023, the deployment of the new battery-electric fleet as mentioned under DART+ Fleet and ultimately a move toward a fully electrified network as part of DART+ Coastal North.
Greenways Provision
Questions (195)
Seán Canney
Question:195. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that an organisation (details supplied) is working to try and agree a code of best practice for the Athlone to Galway and other regional and national greenways with TII and others; his views on whether an essential aspect of the code is the use of voluntary land acquisition agreements as opposed to compulsory purchase orders in circumstances in which private lands may need to be acquired; his further views on whether a key element for the success of the voluntary land acquisition agreement approach is the payment of an adequate ex-gratia Greenway sustainability goodwill payment to the farmers affected; if he will meet the organisation on the issues involved with a view to finding a satisfactory outcome and securing farmers’ goodwill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55934/21]
View answerWritten answers
I am aware of the work being carried out on the Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways by all three of the farming representative bodies and other stakeholders such as Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, Sport Ireland, Rural Recreation Officers, the Department of Rural and Community Development and Local Authorities. I had hoped that the technical code itself would have been agreed by all stakeholders at the meeting in Mullingar last week, but unfortunately that did not occur.
I understand that discussions are ongoing between TII and the ICSA, ICMSA and the IFA in relation to seeking an agreement on the level of the Greenways Sustainability Payment to be paid to landowners. I would hope that agreement can be reached in the near future so that progress on creating the first coast-to-coast Greenway from Galway to Dublin can be achieved in the coming years.
I understand that the whole thrust of the Code is to try and maximise the amount of voluntary land acquisition that takes place and that there is as much consultation as possible between landowners and the project promoters so that an agreed route can be found that minimises the impact on landowners business operations.
In conclusion, it is important to note that these discussions have been ongoing for over 2 years and that the first request for a Code to be developed was made in July 2017 when the Greenways Strategy was being developed. I would hope that all parties involved will work diligently to finalise this matter without further delay.
Driver Licences
Questions (196)
Holly Cairns
Question:196. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport if it will be ensured asylum seekers are permitted to apply for a driving licence. [55964/21]
View answerWritten answers
As set out in the Programme for Government, the Government is acting to improve conditions for people in the International Protection Programme, including access to the driving licence system. However, a number of legal, administrative and technical issues need to be resolved to achieve this.
Provisions in the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021, to be introduced at Committee Stage, will provide legal clarity for such applications. The Bill was introduced to the Dáil on 10 November 2021.
Secondary legislation, as well as administrative solutions, will also be required. While the legislative process is in train, work is continuing on the administrative and technical solutions needed. It is not possible at this point to give a definitive date for completion of these measures, but they are being progressed as quickly as possible.
Rail Network
Questions (197)
Sorca Clarke
Question:197. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport the timeline for the strategic all-island rail review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55966/21]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware, my Department, in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, is undertaking an All Island Strategic Rail Review. This Review, which Arup consultants have been appointed to undertake, will inform the development of inter-urban and inter-regional rail on the Island of Ireland over the coming decades.
Work on the Review commenced in September with a view to completion in Q4 2022.
This will be one of the most significant reviews of the rail network on the island in many years and will provide a framework to develop a much-improved rail network in the decades ahead.
Driver Test
Questions (198)
Sorca Clarke
Question:198. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport if extra resources have been provided to the Road Safety Authority to reduce the backlog in driving test applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55967/21]
View answerWritten answers
Due to the suspension of driver testing services in the initial pandemic response, along with the health protocols required since the resumption of services, a significant backlog in driving tests developed. When the service resumed in June 2020, testers were conducting five tests each per day, as against eight before the pandemic. This subsequently increased to six tests and since 27 September 2021, has further increased to seven tests per tester per day.
In order to deal with the backlog created by Covid, the RSA received approval to rehire 36 temporary testers. In addition, the RSA received sanction to hire 40 additional testers on a temporary basis to assist with the backlogs. These new testers completed their training and have been conducting tests since July 2021. Sanction has also been granted to recruit a further 40 testers.
Procedures require approval for hiring of staff from my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and we have responded to the needs of the RSA by giving the approvals mentioned.
I am aware that the 36 temporary testers rehired in 2020 are on contracts which are due to expire in December, March, and May. I am happy to say that my Department has approved a further extension of contracts for those due to expire in December and March. The RSA will conduct a review next year to see how the service is performing and to reassess its needs in light of evolving demand.
Driver Licences
Questions (199)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:199. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if a driving licence issued in the United Arab Emirates can be exchanged for a driving licence here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55974/21]
View answerWritten answers
The possibility of exchange agreements is a matter to be considered by the Road Safety Authority. In the absence of a request from the Authority or the United Arab Emirates authorities, I do not intend to initiate the examination of a possible agreement with United Arab Emirates at this time.
Driver Test
Questions (200)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:200. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Transport the number waiting for a driving test, by test centre, in tabular form. [56036/21]
View answerWritten answers
Under legislation, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the body responsible for the operation of the Driving Test.
The information requested is held by the RSA. 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.
Driver Test
Questions (201)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:201. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons waiting for a driving test and a theory test, respectively, in County Cork, by test centre, in tabular form. [56037/21]
View answerWritten answers
Under legislation, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the body responsible for the operation of the Driving Test and Theory Test.
Specific details relating to Cork are held by the RSA. 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.