Written Answers Nos. 1-20
2. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will commission a study into the provision of free public transport that examines the costs and benefits of such a policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12313/22]
View answerI am very cognisant of the importance of incentivising greater use of our public transport services; however, I am not convinced that providing free public transport is the most balanced means of achieving this objective.
COVID gave us some insight into the level of funding that might be required in the absence of fare revenue. For example, in 2020, an additional €370 million was required to enable the continued operation of services due to the collapse of fare intake. In 2021, €659m was required to run PSO services, and this year we have allocated €538 million for the continuation of these essential services. Apportioning such significant levels of Exchequer resources to one goal would undoubtedly impact the State’s ability to support other worthy public services.
While free public transport is available in some European locations, I understand that results have varied. The intention is commendable - encouraging modal shift, reducing congestion, and capitalising on the associated environmental benefits. However, the Schemes can have unintended consequences, most noticeably a significant reduction in active travel. This is counter to our core Government goals of improving citizen’s health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
While I might not agree that free transport provides a silver bullet solution - I do believe there is merit in incentivising fares when an appropriate balance can be struck. I am delighted to soon launch the Young Adult Card - allowing those aged between 19 and 23 to avail of an average 50% fare discount. Simultaneously, as part of the suite of measures aimed at tackling the increasing cost of living, we will also introduce an average 20% fare reduction for all PSO passengers
Further, the raft of fare initiatives being introduced this year, paired with the significant increase in investment in vehicles and infrastructure, will make public transport an overall more attractive proposition and support greater modal shift ultimately helping us reduce our transport emissions.
8. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport his views on the reopening of the Waterford to Rosslare rail line to increase transport flexibility and development in the south-east region given the increasing importance of Waterford and Wexford ports in both national import and export activity in addition to facilitating future offshore wind development installations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10485/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, a decision to remove passenger services on the Waterford to Rosslare line was made in 2010 and a maintenance arrangement was put in place then to allow for its continued maintenance since then.
I have commissioned a Strategic Rail Review to help inform the development of inter-urban / inter-regional rail on the Island of Ireland over the coming decades. It will also consider the potential scope for improved rail services and infrastructure along the various existing, or future potential, corridors of the network including disused and closed lines such as the Waterford to Rosslare line. An important aspect of the Review will be to consider the potential for rail freight and whether opportunities exist to increase its role on the island.
The Deputy is right to highlight the growing importance of our port network in the south east. It is the case that Waterford and Rosslare handle different types of cargo and that can influence the potential of each with regard to rail freight. Waterford port handles LoLo which is suitable for rail freight, while Rosslare is of course principally a RoRo port and RoRo does not lend itself easily to rail freight.
I do believe there is real potential for Ireland’s ports in the area of offshore renewable energy (ORE). That is why I published a policy statement on the matter last December which makes it clear to the offshore industry that the Government is committed to the provision of port facilities in Ireland for ORE developments. In that regard I very much welcome the fact that Rosslare Europort has submitted an application for EU funding to support it ambitious plans to develop an offshore renewable energy hub.
9. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will set aside plans for a linear park as part of the MetroLink proposals given the strong opposition to this plan from local residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11046/22]
View answerI understand that there has been extensive engagement on this matter, but am aware that there are different views on the matter too.
As a point of principle, I welcome the idea that for projects of the scale of MetroLink opportunities to enhance the public realm are fully explored. I think improving the public realm can provide significant benefits for local communities and improve our urban environment generally as well. I imagine the Deputy shares my general perspective on the issue.
I understand that in relation to this specific issue, Transport Infrastructure Ireland did identify an opportunity to provide a linear park along the R132 to Swords. The proposal was to provide play areas, leisure cycling, biodiversity planting and a very pleasant green environment which would enhance the amenity value of the area for use by all, and especially those living adjacent to MetroLink.
I am informed that after extensive engagement with residents and local representatives, the design has been modified significantly to address concerns raised by local residents. Some residents still remain opposed to the public realm designs and these concerns will continue to be engaged with, and where possible, solutions will be presented for further consideration. As part of this design development, the project team are committed to working with the residents to achieve optimal outcomes for all. The services of an independent engineering expert have also been made available to the local residents to provide them with impartial assistance.
10. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport the supports that are available to truckers in relation to the rising cost of fuel which is pushing businesses to the brink; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12138/22]
View answerThe current spike in energy prices arises from the global recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic in conjunction with current international tensions and supply constraint issues. This is being witnessed across the European Union as well as many other regions.
The final retail price of fuel is determined by a number of factors which include the costs of production, distribution, global market factors, international exchange rates, taxation, wholesale market contracts negotiated at different rates for the purchase of oil as well as individual retail pricing policies.
In order to mitigate the impact of fuel price increases for hauliers, the Diesel Rebate Scheme offers a partial excise refund to qualifying operators when the price of diesel is relatively high. In Budget 2020, in light of the challenges arising from Brexit uncertainty facing the industry, the marginal rate of compensation at prices over €1.32 (VAT inclusive) was doubled up to the maximum repayment rate of 7.5 cents per litre. In recognition of the vital role that the haulage sector plays in the economy, this increase has been maintained since.
In addition, businesses that are registered for VAT may deduct the VAT charged to them on the purchase of business inputs, such as road diesel and other motoring costs.
Minister Ryan and I met with the Irish Road Haulage Association (‘IRHA’) on 10 December 2021 and again on 10 February 2022 to discuss the spike in fuel prices for hauliers and the need for the sector to make progress towards decarbonisation. While no way forward was agreed, discussions are ongoing at official level on these issues.
Already however some supports are available for operators to switch to alternatively fuelled vehicles. These include a purchase grant and reduced tolls for vehicles powered by a number of alternative fuels including hydrogen, electric, and gas. In addition, Budget 2022 announced an expansion of the Accelerated Capital Allowance (‘ACA’) scheme for Gas Vehicles and Refuelling Equipment. This ACA scheme provides an accelerated wear and tear allowance for capital expenditure incurred on qualifying vehicles and refuelling equipment.
14. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport his plans in relation to making the public transport system accessible for all; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12139/22]
View answerIn line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Ireland's National Disability Inclusion Strategy, I am fully committed to strengthening public transport offerings and progressively making them accessible for all, especially for Persons with Disabilities, Persons with Reduced Mobility, and Older People.
To this end, all new public transport infrastructure and services are accessible from the design stage. This means that accessibility features, such as wheelchair accessibility and audio/visual aids, are built into from the start. Newer public transport systems, such as the Luas for instance, are fully accessible, as are all new buses purchased by the National Transport Authority.
We also have dedicated funding of over €15 million and a programme of works in place to retrofit our older and legacy infrastructure and facilities to make them accessible as well.
In addition, to making our “hard” infrastructure and services accessible, it is crucial to provide the “softer” types of support as well, to enable Persons with Disabilities to travel independently on public transport.
The NTA and the transport companies are very active in this field; they have a number of initiatives underway including the provision of Disability Awareness Training to frontline staff, the rollout of the Just A Minute (JAM) Card to assist anyone with a communications difficulty, and ensuring that information is provided in accessible formats for public transport services.
In addition, there is the Travel Assistance Scheme which is a free service managed by Dublin Bus that aims to give people with disabilities the confidence they need to use public transport. Under the scheme an assistant can accompany people who need help using public transport and give advice how to plan a journey on Dublin Bus, Luas, DART and Go-Ahead Ireland services. Due to the success of the Scheme in the Greater Dublin Area it is planned to extend it to include Cork later this year which will be of great benefit in the region.
While my Department and its Agencies have responsibility for open public transport services only, we work closely with other Departments and Agencies which have responsibility for dedicated and specialist disability transport services. An example of such collaboration, with colleagues in Health and the HSE, was the launch last year of non-emergency transport services in Leitrim. This scheme enhanced local rural public transport services and improved the number of stops at key health and care centres, thereby negating some of the need for specialist, dedicated services. All the vehicles used in this pilot are accessible and low floor to meet the needs of many service users.
I am strongly committed through the provision of new and retrofitting older infrastructure, as well as by supporting softer measures and collaborations, to continue to improve the accessibility of our public transport system.
15. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport the action that will be taken to combat flooding on the Kylemore Road, County Galway given the serious issue of flooding on the road making it regularly impassable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11386/22]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, and in line with the National Development Plan, the planning, design and maintenance of individual national roads is a matter for TII, in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
The matter at issue here - the flooding of the N59 at Kylemore - is not a matter for TII. I understand from TII that Galway County Council have assessed the cause of the flooding at Kylemore Road and have determined that the problem is associated with the capacity of the river channel and blockage of the bridge opening by material transported by the river.
It is a matter for Galway County Council as road authority for the area, in conjunction with the Office of Public Works (OPW) to resolve this issue. I understand that works to remove the build-up of material in the river channel, which is leading to the flooding problem, must also have agreement of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Inland Fisheries Ireland. I understand that engagement is taking place between Galway County Council, OPW and these agencies in an attempt to find a solution.
TII has indicated to my Department that it is available to liaise with and provide support to Galway County Council, insofar as it can, in this matter. I will also bring the matter to the attention of my colleague Minister Patrick Donovan who has responsibility for the OPW.
17. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport if an update will be provided on the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12134/22]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that Ireland has set an ambitious target of 945,000 EVs on our roads by 2030 that reflects the scale of the transformation needed to achieve its climate targets in the coming years. Under the National Development Plan €1bn has been allocated to specific carbon reduction measures, including vehicle electrification.
The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the electric vehicle charging network over the coming years. A national charging infrastructure strategy is being developed which will set out a pathway to stay ahead of demand over the critical period out to 2030. My Department is engaging with relevant stakeholders to inform this work and it is envisaged that the strategy will be published for consultation shortly.
EV sales continue to grow strongly and it is imperative that a seamless network of recharging infrastructure is available to support that growth. In the development of the strategy officials from my Department have engaged with local authorities. other public sector bodies, and the private sector in identifying how to best support the prompt rollout of infrastructure both to address challenges in domestic and neighbourhood charging as well as the need for fast charging. My officials have also reviewed international best practice in the provision of EV charging infrastructure to understand what mix of infrastructure provision will best address the needs of Irish EV owners.
A package of supports aiming to facilitate a swift delivery of infrastructure across the country is being prepared to be launched alongside the strategy. I look forward to providing more information on those aspects towards the end of this month.
I am also pleased to say that preparations are progressing well to establish an Office of Low Emission Vehicles. This Office will play an important role in our transition to zero emission vehicles. It will co-ordinate measures to support the uptake of EVs and the rollout of charge point infrastructure.
18. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Transport the expected timeline for the 20% reduction in the cost of public transport fares as part of the measures to help reduce the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12081/22]
View answerThe Government is strongly committed to helping combat the rising cost-of-living being experienced throughout the country. As such, as part of a suite of new measures is being introduced, I was delighted to be able to bring forward a proposal to reduce fares on PSO public transport services by an average of 20% until the end of 2022. These discounted fares will benefit the hundreds of thousands of people across the country who use public transport every day.
€54m in Exchequer funding has been secured to allow for the introduction of these discounted fares, this is in addition to the €538m that has already been allocated to PSO and Local Link services this year.
My Department is working closely with the NTA and the various PSO public transport operators to commence rolling out these fare reductions across the public transport network by late April and early May.
As the Deputy will appreciate, time is needed to make and test the necessary changes to the wide array of ticketing systems employed across the network, including, the Leap card, on-board ticketing equipment, vending machines and online web platforms. Updates are needed across all the PSO operators, at the different stations and depots, as well as on thousands of individual vehicles, to ensure the discounts are applied across the board.
In addition to the average 20% fare reduction, and in recognition of the importance of incentivising young people to use public transport, I secured funding to provide for the introduction of a young adult card. This card will allow any person who is between 19 and 23 years old, to avail of an average 50% discount fares across all services, including city, intercity and rural services. It is envisaged that this discount will initially be made available on PSO services at the same time as the average 20% fare discount (April/May) - providing significant travel savings for this age cohort. It is my intention to broaden the eligibility of the Young Adult Card to include commercial operators at a later date. The NTA are currently assessing deployment options in this regard.
Furthermore, I anticipate that the average 20% PSO fare reduction will also apply to eligible annual Taxsaver tickets - again from April/May time.
Collectively, these fare reduction initiatives, should help promote greater modal shift and encourage a reduced reliance on private transport with associated benefit of transport emission savings.
In conclusion, the introduction of a 20% average fare discount and the Young Adult Cards in late April/early May, means that 2022 looks set to be an exciting year for public transport provision across the country, as we slowly return to pre-pandemic travel patterns.
20. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Transport the status of plans to progress a rail stop on the existing rail line at locations in Moyross and Corbally in Limerick city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10361/22]
View answerThe draft Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (LSMATS) was published by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in September 2020. The draft was developed in collaboration with Limerick City and County Council, Clare County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland and public consultation was held on the draft for an 8-week period.
Since the conclusion of the public consultation exercise, the main task the NTA has engaged in has been to undertake a more detailed examination of the potential for suburban rail to play a major role in the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area’s transport system. While that work is ongoing, works are planned to upgrade Colbert Station.
With regard to any new stations, the NTA has allocated funding of €250,000 to Iarnród Éireann in 2022 to carry out the Concept, Feasibility and Option Selection studies required to identify a preferred location and preferred option for a new railway station in the Moyross area of Limerick.
The Deputy may wish to note that the NTA has also allocated funding of €250,000 in 2022 to enable Iarnród Éireann to undertake the Concept, Feasibility and Option Selection studies that will lead to a preferred option for double tracking between Limerick Junction and Limerick Colbert Station.
As to next steps for the LSMATS, the NTA intend to undertake a second round of public consultation in due course with a consultation period of about one month. Following receipt of feedback from the second round of public consultation, it is intended to finalise the LSMATS and publish as the completed transport framework for the city. The finalisation of the strategy is a matter for the NTA.
I would encourage the Deputy and all interested parties to participate in this important consultation process when it opens and contribute to the future plans of public transport in the Limerick City Metropolitan Area.
