Written Answers Nos. 41-60
41. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Transport the progress that has been made towards the awarding of compensation to a person (details supplied) as directed by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11733/22]
View answerI would like to express sympathy for the challenging situation of this case. However, my department has no role in providing financial compensation to the fishing sector. The Marine Survey Office of my department does not become involved with the financial arrangements for individual vessels in order to maintain the necessary separation of commercial and safety considerations. Matters regarding compensation may be within the remit of my colleague the Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I would suggest that the individual concerned should make contact with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to pursue such matters.
42. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Transport if he will undertake upgrades to Irish ports to ensure they are equipped to deal with the increase of activity due to Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11829/22]
View answerAs a consequence of Brexit, substantial physical infrastructure was put in place at Dublin Port and Rosslare Europort to provide for the effective management of new check and control requirements on trade with Great Britain. This infrastructure was in place at the end of the Transition Period and has been operational since 1 January 2021. This was one of the most critical and visible aspects of the Government’s preparations for Brexit. This work was coordinated by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with the development of the required infrastructure by the Office of Public Works on behalf of the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the HSE.
Planning is continuing for a new state of the art Border Control Post in Rosslare Europort for the carrying out of customs, agriculture and health checks on trade with Great Britain. Currently these checks are undertaken in temporary facilities in Kilrane, some 1.3km outside of the Port. Planning permission for the permanent facilities was secured by the OPW in 2021 and a public procurement process is underway. The project will avail of funding under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve.
Overall, Ireland has seen a significant number of new shipping services develop over the last two years in response to Brexit. Our ports continue to respond with new and additional direct ferry links to mainland Europe with increased capacity coming on stream in response to Brexit and the pandemic (including to Cherbourg, Dunkerque, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Roscoff and Santander).
In line with NDP objectives and National Ports Policy, the State ports are continuing to progress projects under their Masterplans. The Ports of Dublin, Cork, Shannon Foynes and Rosslare will spend €144m in capital expenditure in 2022 and up to €473m over the next five years. These non-exchequer funded investments will enhance Ireland’s capacity and connectivity and will allow the ports to respond to market needs, handle increases in ship sizes and frequency and serve the import and export needs of the economy.
In Ireland, the State Ports operate as independent commercial entities with no funding from the State. All infrastructure development must be funded through their own revenues, borrowing or disposal of assets. Additionally eligible TEN-T ports can apply for funding for port infrastructure under the Connecting Europe Funding facility (CEF) which is the funding instrument for the EU's Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
43. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the measures taken or proposed to ensure that the transport sector is capable of doing its job without contributing to inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11492/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, transport is a derived demand - one that is driven by economic and social need. A cost-efficient sector, including affordable and accessible public transport services, is vital to a functioning economy.
In this context, a number of measures have been taken to ensure services remain affordable. In Budget 2022, my department secured approximately €538m of funding for Public Service Obligation (PSO) and Local Link services. €25m was also provided for the introduction of a young adult card (YAC). This new measure will enable any person aged between 19 and 23 years old to avail of an average fare discount of 50% across all public transport services, including city, intercity and rural services.
Further, as part of a suite of new measures being introduced by Government to help combat the rising cost-of-living being experienced throughout the country, a 20% average fare reduction on PSO services is also due to be introduced over the coming weeks. These discounted fares, which will benefit the hundreds of thousands of people across the country who use PSO public transport every day, will cost €54m and will be in place until the end of 2022.
Finally, in relation to the impacts of increasing biofuel rates on fuel prices, an offsetting policy measure of a 1c per litre reduction in the NORA Levy and a 1c per litre reduction in excise has been introduced in agreement with the Minister for Finance. The excise relief takes effect from 1 April 2022 and will be in place until Budget Day in October 2022.
44. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport the allocation for the capital development of national roads for each of the past five years; the reason planning has ceased on a number of urgently needed national roads in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11777/22]
View answerAs Minister for Transport I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
Approximately €615 million of exchequer capital funds have been provided for national roads through TII to local authorities in 2022. The 2022 funding allocations are made having regard for the NDP, which balances investment in transport against other priorities of Government, such as housing and health over the lifetime of the Plan. It was necessary to prioritise projects for funding in a manner which seeks to achieve key outcomes in line with the NDP. Resulting from this, while a large majority of the projects under the NDP were issued a funding allocation in 2022, TII were unable to provide an allocation for a small number of projects. The delivery programme for these projects will be kept under review for next year and considered in terms of the overall funding envelope available to TII.
The table below sets out the exchequer allocations made to TII for new capital projects in the past 5 years.
Allocations to TII for last 5 years for new projects
|
Year |
€ New project development |
|
2017 |
147,759,475 |
|
2018 |
97,802,019 |
|
2019 |
131,759,472 |
|
2020 |
228,756,229 |
|
2021 |
301,315,000 |
Regarding the progression of certain projects in the NDP, 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.
45. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Transport if he will ensure that possession of a public services card will not be made obligatory to obtain a driver’s licence or learner’s permit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12109/22]
View answerA public services card (PSC) is only required when applying for or renewing a learner permit or driving licence online. The PSC is used to confirm a person’s identity and image in place of face-to-face verification. The Road Safety Authority is recognised as a specified body for the use of a PSC under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended by the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Act 2009).
When applying for a driving licence, a person can verify their identity in person at a National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) front office. NDLS offices are open to the public, but an appointment must be made to attend. It is no longer possible to attend an office without an appointment. Appointments can be made online or by telephone. A public services card is not needed to book an appointment.
47. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport if he will indicate his approach to having rental schemes for e-scooters; and the framework under which they will evolve. [11830/22]
View answerI am committed to decarbonising the transport sector by encouraging a modal shift away from travel by private car towards sustainable alternatives. Micromobility vehicles like e-scooters have an important role to play as we transition to a cleaner and greener economy and society.
The Programme for Government has committed us to legislating for e-scooters and e-bikes and this process has been commenced through the Road Traffic and Roads Bill, which is shortly expected to move to committee stage before the Oireachtas.
The bill proposes the establishment of a new vehicle category called “powered personal transporters”, which will include micromobility vehicles like e-scooters, segways and hoverboards. Registration, taxation, and licensing will not be required for their use.
The bill will also confer powers to set out appropriate technical and safety standards and rules for the safe use of e-scooters in regulations and preparatory drafting work has already commenced. My Department has consulted with key stakeholders to inform this process, including the Road Safety Authority, the National Transport Authority, An Garda Síochána, representation from industry and accessibility advocates and local authorities.
The Road Traffic Acts do not provide for powers to establish public or private vehicle rental schemes and accordingly such matters are not addressed in the bill. The governance of such schemes would be a matter for the local authority in question.
I will shortly publish a new Sustainable Mobility Policy which will set out a strategic framework to 2030 for active travel and public transport to support Ireland's overall requirement to achieve a 51% reduction in carbon emissions by the end of this decade. The policy will primarily focus on measures to promote and facilitate active travel and public transport for all and, in doing so, encourage less private car usage nationally to support our climate commitment. This will include considering how best to promote the adoption of micromobility schemes and the integration of newer modes such as e-scooters with other modes.
48. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has received an application from Galway County Council for funding for the inner relief road for Tuam, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12072/22]
View answerThe 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 local authorities' 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.
The primary focus for capital investment under the Regional and Local Road Grant Programme continues to be the protection and renewal of the regional and local road network with some limited investment in road improvement projects.
Any projects proposed by local authorities for consideration under the Specific or Strategic Grant Programmes are assessed by the Department on a case-by-case basis. All projects put forward by local authorities for consideration must comply with the requirements of the Public Spending Code and my Department's Capital Appraisal Framework. Given the limited funding available for regional and local road improvement works it is important for local authorities to prioritise projects within their overall area of responsibility with these requirements in mind.
My Department has not received an application from Galway County Council for funding for an inner relief road for Tuam.
49. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Transport the status of the BusConnects roll-out in Dublin, specifically the proposed E1, Balbutcher Lane via city centre, route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11801/22]
View answer104. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Transport the status of the BusConnects C spine in the Lucan area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11581/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 104 together.
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 the BusConnects programme.
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.
50. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Transport the status of the Finglas roundabout scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12080/22]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public and sustainable transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) is responsible for the development and implementation of public transport and active travel infrastructure, allocating the funding provided by my Department at project level and working in conjunction with the relevant local authorities. This includes the project mentioned by the Deputy, namely the Finglas roundabouts scheme.
Noting the NTA's responsibilities in the matter, I have referred your question to the NTA for a detailed reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
51. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Transport if he has encouraged the development of consumer satisfaction feedback on public transport to provide a spur to delivering passenger needs. [11831/22]
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 day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally.
In light of the Authority's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's specific question in relation to the possible development of consumer satisfaction feedback on public transport to provide a spur to delivering passenger needs, to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
52. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Transport the progress is being made with the proposal to provide a bus lane from Claregalway to Galway city along the N83; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12073/22]
View answer76. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport if he will confirm that the next draft of BusConnects in Cork will have a route from the northside to the Munster Technological University [12065/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 76 together.
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, including the BusConnects programme in our cities.
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.
53. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Transport the details of the €30,000 recently allocated to the Thurles inner relief road under the local and regional roads programme of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11863/22]
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 initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
The primary focus for capital investment under my Department's Regional and Local Road Grant Programme continues to be the protection and renewal of the regional and local road network with some limited investment in road improvement projects.
€30,000 has been allocated to the Thurles Inner Relief Road scheme in 2022 to allow Tipperary County Council to appoint consultants to progress the detailed design of the scheme.
55. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport his plans to place existing diesel vehicles ahead of the ban on new diesel car sales; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10501/22]
View answerPassenger cars account for over half of all land transport emissions in Ireland; therefore, a transition to low and zero emission cars is one of the necessary changes if Ireland is to substantially reduce its transport emissions. Accordingly, electric vehicles (EVs) are a prominent mitigation measure in the Climate Action Plan and Ireland has set an ambitious target of nearly one million EVs on our roads by 2030. With approximately 50,500 EVs currently in Ireland, this target is very challenging but indicative of the scale of the transformation that is needed across all sectors if Ireland is to reduce national emissions and reach its legally binding emission ceiling in future years.
A national ambition has been firmly established that by 2030 all new cars and vans sold in Ireland will be zero-emission capable.
The European Commission have indicated that a complete ban of the marketing, import or registration of new ICE vehicles in a single Member State is not compatible with EU law, and an EU-wide approach is therefore required. Ireland was signatory to a non-paper to the Commission earlier this year requesting a phase-out date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in the EU in line with the objective of climate neutrality by 2050 as well as the introduction of a legal framework that allows Member States to move ahead by taking action at national level to incentivise early phase-out of new petrol and diesel cars and vans. The paper can be viewed at www.permanentrepresentations.nl/permanent-representations/pr-eu-brussels/documents/publications/2021/03/10/non-paper---transition-to-zero-emission-light-duty-vehicles.
In addition, on Transport Day at COP26, I signed a sponsored declaration to accelerate the transition to 100% zero emission cars and vans. The declaration is an important signal of ambition at a global level. In line with our Programme for Government commitments, Ireland has even greater ambitions, targeting a switch over of one million electric vehicles by 2030 to bring us on a trajectory to achieving electrification of all new car sales well ahead of 2035
These declarations are consistent with Ireland’s ambitions to tackle transport emissions. They follow the publication of the Climate Action Plan (CAP) ’21 which outlines a pathway to a radical and equitable transformation in Ireland’s transport sector over the next nine years as it moves towards decarbonisation. Car manufacturers are responding to these initiatives by introducing a wide range of electric vehicles to the market, and over the coming decade, I envisage a progressive transition to EVs in our car fleet as electric vehicle technology becomes mainstream.
In this regard, my Department recently joined together with three other member states (BE, DK and LU) to propose joint amendments of the CO2 standards for cars and vans standards regulation regarding the 2027 targets, the ZLEV incentive mechanism and the small volume derogation.
57. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Transport the status of the travel assistance scheme which is to be rolled out in Cork in 2022; when it is likely the pilot project will commence; if Bus Éireann has recruited persons to work on the programme in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12107/22]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. While I'm aware of the rollout of the Travel Assistance Scheme to Cork and welcome the pilot, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of accessible public passenger transport services in conjunction with the respective service operator.
In that regard, the rollout of the Travel Assist Scheme is a matter for the NTA and l and I have forwarded your correspondence to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
58. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will commission a study to examine the impact on CO2 emissions of the delivery and production of one million electric vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12056/22]
View answerThe European Commission has put forward a proposal to revise the existing CO2 Standards Regulation to align it with the ambition of the EU Climate Law. It will put in place stronger CO2 emissions standards for cars and vans to accelerate the transition to zero-emission mobility by requiring manufacturers, on a fleet-wide basis, to reduce the average emissions of cars and vans they produce.
Under the proposal, average emissions of new cars should be reduced by 55% from 2030 and 100% from 2035 compared to 2021 levels. For new vans, the net reduction targets would be 50% and 100% respectively. As a result, all new cars and vans registered as of 2035 in the EU will be zero-emission.
The proposal would also remove the ZLEV (zero- and light-emission vehicle) incentive scheme after 2030. This is part of the existing Regulation and allows manufacturers that produce more ZLEVs additional leeway in their overall target. It is expected that, at this stage, the market uptake of ZLEVs will be driven by the stricter CO2 targets applicable from 2030 rather than any incentive mechanisms.
Accelerating the transition to low emitting light duty vehicles (LDVs) is paramount to achieving Ireland's emission reduction targets. Emissions from cars and vans in Ireland dominate land transport emissions at 51% and 7% respectively, and Ireland has a national commitment to phase out sales of new petrol/diesel cars by 2030. Wider availability of zero-emission vehicles will provide Irish consumers with greater choice and accelerate the transition to zero-emission mobility.
While the proposed targets are welcome, Ireland is seeking opportunities to accelerate and increase the ambition of the file in recognition that early momentum in this decade is crucial to affect the substantial change required to reach the EU 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target and commitments made under the Paris Agreement.
Analysis for the uptake of EVs in Ireland is based on the assumption that Irish car fleet growth between 2020 and 2030 will be at a rate similar to between 2010 and 2020. It is expected that the sale of electric vehicles will displace those of internal combustion engines in the coming years which will replace CO2 emitting vehicles with zero-emission tailpipe equivalents. While EV battery production can result in higher CO2 emissions, as technology improves and more renewable energy sources are deployed globally, I anticipate that the CO2 impacts of battery production will reduce over the coming years. I also note that Ireland does not have a vehicle-manufacturing sector, so the issue of production does not arise specifically with regard to our national emissions.
60. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport his plans for increasing the services and passenger numbers on the Ballybrophy to Limerick rail line. [11272/22]
View answerAs the Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day provision and operation of public transport.
The issue raised by the Deputy regarding plans for increasing the services and passenger numbers on the Ballybrophy to Limerick rail line is an operational matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with Iarnród Éireann and 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.
